The Nurse and the Pirate King
by Dem Pork Buns
Summary: A nurse is thrown inside a sack and finds herself working as an unwilling one man medical team to a crew of pirates in the Harusame's 7th division. Rated T due to bloodshed and occasional cussing. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

When Chiaki first met Kamui, she clubbed him in the head.

It was inevitable, really. Chiaki worked in a dilapidated clinic found in the poorer parts of Edo. The shifty looking ones with the water damaged signboards and creaky sliding doors with no locks to protect its occupants from late night drunks and the occasional extorting mafia. She worked dutifully as sort of an assistant to a doctor that was well known around those parts. The owner of the clinic often left to visit homes while she tended walk in patients that went to visit him.

Her liking for the job stemmed mostly from extra experience and money. She didn't want to get kicked out. She didn't want to make mistakes. That was why she continued to sit and smile patiently behind a rickety table after the front door was kicked off its hinges by some jerk with majestic salmon hair and his companion: a tired middle aged man who looked like he was done with life. Both of them carried massive umbrellas, a telltale sign of danger if she watched planetary documentaries about alien-warrior races, which she didn't.

The local Yakuza huh? She thought, faking bravery.

"The Yakuza again? We just paid the 'protection fee' a week ago. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave… unless you want things to turn bloody." She crossed her arms cooly. If Kamui and Abuto could see through her, they would find out that she was close to shitting herself with fear.

"Oho. Aren't you a fighter? Girl, what are you? A samurai, a courtesan, a shinobi perhaps?" The shorter one with the braid grinned. His companion gave a sigh.

Chiaki swallowed the rising bile from her stomach. "I am a highly professional… med student from Edo University… … … _If you are brave enough. I'll take you on!"_ She waved a pair of scissors threateningly, making sure that its fine blades caught the blinking light from the sole lightbulb that illuminated the room.

Seeing as she wasn't worth his damn time, Kamui slouched immediately in disappointment. He closed him umbrella and sat on the chair nearest to him. Abuto wanted medical attention for his severed arm and broken bones. He was especially whiny about it, more than usual, so Kamui decided to be less of an ass and give his right hand man a little taste of charity.

Abuto did the friendliest grin he could have imagined. "Uhh, hello?" He called out and waved at Chiaki. She raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but steal glances at Kamui who began rummaging her backpack for her…Money? Phone? Packed lunch? … For her packed lunch.

There was apparent bleeding from the older man. Pushing fear away, Chiaki crept closer to him, fully aware of the dangers of helping out a Yakuza.

"What happened to your arm?" She asked immediately when Abuto removed his cloak. It was a mess of blood, flesh and poor bandaging. It wasn't just the arm. He also had a fractured femur, a ripped of ear and a damaged face. Chiaki resisted the idea that the damaged face were actual damage and wasn't just his ugly, sadistic leers he seemed to put on unconsciously.

Abuto, not wanting to scar someone who hasn't experienced the sweet taste of death and defeat in the battlefield decided to say: "Ya know, limbs fall off when you go in between silly arguments of people you don't really want to care about but need to care about because of your job…" He cast an evil eye at Kamui for fighting Hosen. Although the entire crisis ended quite well, he would have appreciated not losing an arm and falling off a ten storey building underground.

"Oh, like a lover's spat!" Chiaki rummaged through drawers, pocketed a knife, a taser and took most if not all the paraphernalia she needed.

He knew saying yes would lead to Kamui diching his body in a canal later on, and saying no would lead to the little shit asking a bunch of questions. "Just fix it already! We don't have all day" Abuto said impatiently.

"Touchy"

She went to Abuto and gingerly removed the bandages around his arm and found a poorly stitched swelling wound that looked worse than the day he got it. Pus began to seep from the stiches and the room immediately smelled of infection.

Abuto immediately looked away in disgust and felt vomit creep into his mouth, even Kamui, who hasn't seen disgusting to that extent backed away in fear and apprehension.

"_Fuck!_ Not again!" _Another _infection! Maybe because he was getting old, he thought. The last time he caught an infection was from a gunshot wound that hit him because his shitty captain won't keep his mouth shut. If only Kamui understood the amount of women that refused to _visit_ his bedroom after they found out about his raging infection. Talk about repopulating the species…

She felt the room's temperature go down a few degrees and decidedly avoid staring at the shadow that masked the older man's face.

"That's what you get for butting your nose in my business, Abuto." Kamui remarked.

Chiaki immediately memorized his name.

"Cheh- quit being so critical, ya damn captain."

Chiaki turned her head and caught Kamui munching on her delicious packed sandwich. _Asshole. _She gaped. People shouldn't destroy other people's doors, drop their dying _demanding_ Yakuza friends onto nurses and eat their food. She stretched her patience to an infinite scale and decided to ignore the man.

She fixed the sutures, and started clearing the open wound. It wasn't the first amputation she fixed, her year of service proved that drunken Amanto are more often than not a little too arrogant that they decidedly thought it was morally right for them to start chopping limbs after a little provocation. She's also seen the doctor hack appendages off to save men and she's proud to say that she knew what she was doing. She removed splinters and fabric from inside the wound and had what she thought was a pint of puss taken out from the festering injury while Kamui stared at her with creepy unblinking eyes.

Maybe, just maybe these guys weren't as evil as she took them for. Maybe the Abuto guy got his wounds from preventing a bar fight between the braid-fucker and a law enforcer. The creepy younger one probably had a penchant for kicking doors and creepy smiles… right?

"Abuto, get her to the ship as our new doctor." Kamui said after little thought of the matter.

Abuto was very used to Kamui making idiotic decisions out of the blue, but it was his first to be openly ordered to kidnap. Abuto pondered a little then remembered that their ship's sole doctor had died in an accident. That accident being Ungyo and the others being ordered to shove the old man into space. The old man was forgetful and was forced to retire immediately. (Abuto suffered for weeks, the rate of balding heads and nasty halitosis increased tenfold, he was forced to deal with it)

Being the smart girl she was, Chiaki responded with a "Huh?" hoping for a sign that what the younger man said was a bad joke.

Kamui was dead serious.

"Hey." She said. "I'm not even a doctor. I'm a nurse, barely a nurse, I'm still studying, see?" Chiaki managed to say, she gave Kamui her school's identification card just in case her school uniform wasn't proof enough.

Kamui took the ID and snapped it in half.

"Do you know how to treat baldness?" He asked with a smile.

Chiaki frowned, confused.

"I have a general idea." She replied, putting her right hand in her pocket where the Taser was.

"How about bad breath?" Abuto asked this time, a glint of hope in his eyes. Those weeks of endless complaints might actually come to an end.

"Drink water, brush your teeth, if it doesn't work the problem might not be in the mouth." She said, stepping back in fear.

Kamui shut his eyes and did a terrifyingly sweet smile. "Do you know how to do a root canal?" He asked.

"No."_ Do I look like some dentist to you?_

Kamui seemed to weight his options. "Good enough, Abuto."

Abuto grinned and raised his arm to grab her by the scalp.

Chiaki opted to tase him in the armpit.

Abuto fell to the floor, twitching and cursing. He didn't expect the little shrimp to be armed _dammit!_ He took a brave glance at his Captain who wasn't amused to have to do the job himself.

Chiaki gracefully ran past Kamui. She dug her foot against the floor and jumped swiftly over remnants of the broken door. Two seconds to freedom! The light of outside was close, so close! Then Kamui grabbed the back of her uniform's collar. He lifted her up and left her standing on her tip toes, strangling her.

"Let go of me!" She said clutching her collar to give herself air.

"You little _shit_." Abuto managed to croak out. He easily lifted himself up from the ground. For someone who had one arm and was electrocuted with a shit ton of volts. He looked deadlier than a Christmas sale. He approached her with a means to an end.

Chiaki felt panic.

"_Assface_" She said as loud as she could.

"What?"

Abuto paused and Kamui looked at her with confusion. It was enough distraction for the Yato to lower his arm a few inches.

Once her feet touched the ground, her right arm shot backwards at an almost impossible angle her muscles ached as she grabbed a baseball bat resting in a waiting chair that was left by a patient that morning. In a blur of movement, the baseball bat made hard contact with Kamui's forehead.

It's either Kamui made no effort to show that he was in pain or it was genuine that he never felt anything.

It was more of the latter.

He gave her a shit eating grin.

"Really? Nothing? No reaction? You mean, I did all that effort and it was still ineffective?" Chiaki frowned, panic drained from her system. Kamui let go of her, still smiling, but a dark purple aura emanated from his being. If she listened to her side, she would have heard Abuto trying and failing to give out an identifiable noise.

"Fucking bitch." Kamui smiled wider. Was he, was he just bashed in the head by a weird looking _human_ woman? He, Kamui, the ultimate totalitarian leader of over a hundred pirate Yato? The man who had battled armies without getting scratched, the man who can eat fifty servings of meal and still have room for dessert without any medical complications, allowed a piece of yesterday's garbage land a solid hit at him?

Judging by Abuto's wide eyes, the answer was a definite yes.

Kamui grabbed the front of her shirt and smashed her forehead into his, knocking her unconscious.

She definitely was up for the job.


	2. Chapter 2

Chiaki jolted awake, sweat soaked her clothes and her head howled in pain. _I need to take a dump. _She thought.

It was pitch black and bloody freezing too, her fingers were aching from the cold, and her face felt a little stiff.

She didn't move for a while, afraid perhaps that she was missing body parts. When courage came, she inspected herself in the dark and found out that she only lost her right shoe. Her toes felt like ice. She was inside a smelly rough sack and, judging by the smell and the repetitive rubbing of the coarse fabric behind her, she knew she was carried in the back of the blonde haired man she treated earlier.

To make her time in the sack more unpleasant, there were bits of broken concrete and nails poking her legs. She immediately took a nail and decided to rip a hole into the sack, to create an opening to see where she was carted off to.

Due to her weight, and her position, the incision she made was good enough for the entire sack to rip in half; she fell unceremoniously to the ground.

Her two unwanted companions stopped walking.

"You're awake huh? Took you long enough! You're freaking heavy and the Captain won't share the burden too," Abuto complained and rubbed his back. Chiaki was unamused, the artificial light illuminating the room stung her eyes.

"Listen, I don't know who you people are and what you want from me, but I have to go home." _I have a hungry cat waiting at my dorm and I don't want to be kidnapped dammit!_ She said in a voice higher and much more desperate than what she was used to hearing.

"Well, if you want to go home, then you should have woken up earlier, unless humans can survive space you're not going home anytime soon." This time it was the shorter creepier one that spoke. "What?" Chiaki muttered, rubbing her eyes with the back of her arm. Kamui waved his hand to the right, gesturing that she should look through a window. Not wanting to walk closer to them, Chiaki craned her neck and saw Japan slowly moving away from her, or her moving away from Japan in the speed of a space ship. She watched in a blank expression as the islands she used to call home shrunk before disappearing from her sight. Then slowly, earth transformed into a tinier and tinier ball until it got swallowed by the dim of space too.

Then everything went into place, she took a glance at the two men, umbrellas, and foreign clothing. She remembered their strange accents from the clinic, she ignored it, and it was a stupid thing to do. With rumors of a large crime syndicate coming for a visit floating around while she was still in Edo, she knew she was kidnapped by _pirates, _the infamous _Harusame pirates._

Memories of Pirates of the Caribbean flashed through her mind at the most inconvenient time of all and she said: _"parlay."_

Chiaki's eyes were at a blank, its once healthy chocolate color turned into an empty void of despair and nothingness.

Kamui cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Parlay….. I invoke the right of parlay…. According to the Code of the Brethern, set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you must take me to your Captain!" She quoted a scene from the movie in English. Her brain was going haywire with panic and stress. _This must be a dream. _She pinched herself in the arm _hard. _Nope. Nothing.

"Oi, this isn't the time to be quoting Pirates of th-"

"I am the Captain of this ship." Kamui piped in, in English as well, but heavily laced with Japanese tones.

"Don't follow her lead dammit! And that wasn't even right! You're supposed to say, 'I know the code' not 'I am the Captain of this ship!'" Abuto said hotly, but Kamui was having none of it.

"I know the code." Kamui corrected himself.

"If an adversary demands parlay you can do them no ha-"

"SHUT UP!" Abuto shrieked, feeling a headache rush in. This wasn't how hostages are supposed to act dammit! They were supposed to cry, hug his legs or lick his boots, beg for sweet sweet mercy and here she was quoting scenes of his favorite movie with his Captain. He felt the urge to re-watch every single installment of the movie. It will take him hours, and he has paperwork to take care of!

"Follow me." He gestured to the girl. He was going to show her the new clinic she was going to work in, which was, secretly, nothing more than a modified janitor's closet.

"Captain, you better start with the paperwork, I'll meet you in a few." He said to Kamui, trying to get his Captain to do something more useful, but Kamui being Kamui, he decided to do the exact opposite.

Abuto went into great detail about what she was going to do while Kamui insistently interrupted after every few sentences or so. He had a few medics to work with her, kidnapped too from what he implied, she was to actually receive wages, a percentage of what they earned in the ship, much to Chiaki's surprise it was twice the sum of what her parents earned. But everything went to a blur after that. She wished that she could have at least parted with them in good terms, her father was most likely still angry with her, until he receives the notification that she has been missing. Her mother would worry herself to death. Her cat would starve and the few of her friends would start placing missing posters all around Edo.

But most of all, she needed to find a way to defend herself and escape.

Abuto was talking about the lack of medical supplies when he noticed the silence.

He turned to see her bowed down, fat wet tears threatening to fall and he could see Kamui getting ticked off because of it. But the man was still smiling like a maniac.

For the sake of his Super Captain Kamui, and not because he has a soft spot for crying women, he patted her shoulder and said: "You'll get used to it", which was a pile of shit, because whoever they kidnapped killed themselves after a week or so due to stress, overworking or some other reason that Abuto creates every time a member of Kamui's crew wasn't working as efficiently as he wanted.

"Here's the clinic." He said and slammed the door open as cooly as he could do it.

Three rotting corpses hung from the ceiling with nooses around their necks, crates away from their feet and a large I QUIT was written behind them in blood.

Abuto slammed the door shut.

Ahh, yes, there was another smaller clinic near Kamui's office; hopefully it would be devoid of dead medics.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Chiaki never took the time to be interested in the anatomy of space. But she never felt so hopeless when she recognized the shape of the nearest galaxy by the ship's window. Canis Major covered the entire window with its massive cluster of multicolored stars. She couldn't help but wonder how fast alien tech could move in space. It was impossible to fathom that she was already thousands of light years away from home in a several weeks.

How the hell was she going to run away? How was she going to go back? The ship's massive body swam space like a giant fucking sperm whale in the vast oceans. It seemed to her that if she was going home, it would be decades after. But there was a tiny voice in the back of her head that laughed in a short and sharp sound, telling her that she was never going back. Chiaki swallowed and forced her emotions down. She needed to survive as long as possible. She had to find a way, she always did.

Four days later, her first patient arrived.

A man, who looked forty something, had ridiculous face piercings and an equally ridiculous pompadour, was hauled by two other men into her clinic. They, without knocking, went inside and dumped the unconscious man into her feet and scurried off like large black rats without a word. Chiaki was confused about their sullen reaction upon seeing her face. She helped the mumbling man out of the floor and put him to bed, unsure why they brought him there. He looked okay in her standards, until she checked his temperature. He had a mild fever.

She went into a small bathroom to wet a towel- she tried cleaning it, but the suspicious stains were stubborn- and screamed. Her face was pale, like paper, strawberry blonde hair an afro, and her capillaries burst from crying, giving her the entire glowing red eye look. She was half tempted to go out of her clinic and start scaring Yato, pretend to be the ghost of the poor nurse who got kidnapped and killed herself in a very successful suicide attempt. But their umbrellas looked sharp and she had a patient to take care off.

She later found him to have severe food poisoning.

Chiaki interviewed the man when he woke up and when she asked if he ate something that might have caused his illness, he said:

"Well, when the Captain left, Taku and I went out of the ship, we wanted to do some shopping when we got lost in some forest and ended up eating wild mushrooms."

"Wild mushrooms?" She repeated.

"Yes, like they always say, the edgier and the uglier it looks, the tastier it will be"

"… I see. Next time, try to ask before ingesting weird things okay?" _I know you're not going to listen and eat a whole lot more, hopefully poisonous mushrooms might fix your ugly face."_

Chiaki didn't like how most of the Yato were racist, sexist bastards who treat her like a three year old who got a hold of a toy stethoscope and played doctor. She didn't want to be treated very seriously, but she would like it better when if people acted like she was an actual nurse…. er, student nurse- everybody still calls her human, or pinky- and not an easy score who wanders around every now and then.

Truly desperate ones knock at her clinic in the dead of the night, hoping for a miracle cure of baldness, halitosis or tooth aches, she would help them to the extent of her abilities but she couldn't do much due to lack of supplies. After a month of avoiding the Captain and the Vice Captain, and learning that they had docked into Mesa Planet, Chiaki knew that she needed to talk to salmon hair.

Chiaki took a large herbal tome written in Yato, a Yato to English dictionary and English to Japanese dictionary and started heading to the direction of Kamui's office, arms straining from the weight of the collected books. Chiaki wasn't weak like, "I will absolutely lose if I fight one on one with a Yato clan member, but if I have my friends behind me and I have to protect them, I might be able to block a few of their blows." Chiaki was weak like, "If a Yato clan member hits me with an umbrella, I will try to block it but I will still fly in an amazing 20 feet trajectory before falling down head first, dead, with my organs in a jumble. So I better keep all my snarky comments at bay "

She stood at Kamui's office, legs shaking from fear.

"I'll do it next time." She said with resolute devotion, turned around and slammed into the Captain.

"What are you doing?" Kamui asked with piqued curiosity. He was going to escape Abuto's motherly rants about paperwork and responsibilities as a captain by hiding in the last possible place Abuto would think Kamui would hide … inside his own office.

"I… uh.." _Now is not the time to back down! Courage Chiaki, COURAGE!_ "I wanted to talk to you concerning the lack of medical supplies in the clinic." She said cooly.

Kamui looked at her, trying to recall who she was. She had brown eyes and dull pink hair…. _Ah! The human from the time in Edo! Her name…. her name is Elizabeth Duck! _He remembered the little quotes from Pirates of the Caribbean they shared. Ha! Kamui secretly praised himself for having good memory.

"Come in." Kamui pushed the heavy doors open and led her inside. He gestured for her to sit on a thin rickety wooden stool while he went behind his sleek black manager's table that was probably worth an entire decade of her parent's salary. It was most intimidating.

Chiaki cleared her throat for a moment. Trying to decide how she would open conversation with the man. She wanted to ask him if she could get out of the ship and get a restock medical supplies, and woman stuff too if she could be persuasive enough, but she also recently found a way to stop ageing Yato waking her up in the middle of the night begging to cure their bald spots.

Taking all the courage she could muster she said,

"Captain, I was reading through the medical books when I found this Herbal." She lifted the book to show the cover.

"Conveniently enough, there was a section here that shows a kind of plant that can cure baldness permanently, found in Mesa Planet."

"Cure baldness… forever?" Kamui felt excitement run through his veins… _FINALLY_ he thought. You what they say, the stronger the Yato, the more bald spots he'll get when he's older. And Kamui, being the son of the great Umibozu, was starting to see the symptoms of baldness slowly appearing like the pimples he got when he was experiencing the horrors of adolescence.

"Yes." She opened a page of the book and pointed out a few lines of sentences he couldn't read.

"And the other books with you?"

"Dictionaries, to translate Yato into Japanese." She said calmly, this time not as nervous as she first came in.

Kamui squinted, which wasn't evident to Chiaki since his eyes were all squinty from the beginning, but they squinted even more.

"You're of more use to me than I imagined." Kamui said. "And here I was about to drag you tomorrow as a sacrificial goat for the promise of peace and hospitality to the lizard people of Mesa. I normally don't give shit about sacrificial bullshit of tribes, but the last time we didn't offer women, they snuck through our cooling system and our ship crashed half way through the universe." He prattled on.

Chiaki gaped_…. Sacrificial goat_….. She was going to be sacrifice? She wasn't sure how she would feel about that, she should be angry, yes, angry, but there is logic in the back of her mind that if she didn't act like she's all chill with it and start being snarky to the Captain. She _will_ become dead in seconds.

"Ahahahhaa… I'm glad I'm not going to be sacrifice too…" She felt like crying.

"Eh?" Abuto appeared from behind her. "You're still alive?" He was referring to Chiaki. Abuto wasn't really looking for his Captain yet, he went to Kamui's office to _steal_, ahem, borrow umbrella wax, since his own run out.

"Still alive?" She repeated, turning to his direction with her limbs iced with suppressed emotion.

"Normally, people we kidnap only live for a week, it's a miracle you're not dead yet, or missing limbs."

_"So that you'll get used to it speech was bullshit after all?" _Chiaki felt migraine seep in.

"Ahahahaha…." Abuto tried to laugh away the awkwardness that came after that, but it was futile.

"Wait, you can read?" Abuto pointed out at the stack of books on Chiaki's lap that was cutting off her blood system. In the corner of his eye, he could see Kamui make suspicious phone calls to whom it seems to be the king of the lizard people.

Chiaki raised an eyebrow. Will saying yes lead her to become a sacrificial element for the book people at planet library? She didn't know how to answer his question, so she shoved the books off her lap and started running to the door. She almost screamed at Abuto earlier and she didn't want to be whacked dead with a non-waxed umbrella.

"Wait!" She heard Kamui say from behind her. She looked back and realized that Kamui was referring to Abuto who was suspiciously carrying a sack labelled, to "King of the Book people" and was in the prime position to knock her out.

Chiaki shot him a glare, Abuto ignored it and turned to his Captain.

"What is it Captain? Can't you see I'm trying to fix our broken up ties with the Book people since you burnt their main library down?!" Abuto complained, scratching his head sheepishly with his umbrella.

"I accidentally pissed off the Lizard people and the King has the elite members of his army coming to attack us. _tee-hee_"

"_TEE HEE_ MY ASS! HOW THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES?"

Chiaki sweat dropped.

_"Fuck the medical supplies; I'm getting out of here" _She thought, leaving when a metal panel of the ceiling shook and crashed down beside her, there was now a large whole connecting to upper floors, two angry black cloaked Yato stood on the fallen debris, along with an unconscious eight feet blue armored lizard who had knives strapped on his belt.

"CAPTAIN WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" The bigger of the Yato yelled at his superior, jumped up, grabbed a gigantic live wire then hoisted himself to the upper floor, to battle a wave of the incoming lizard army. The second one rammed his umbrella into the lizard's gigantic skull to end the twitching reptile.

"HOW FUCKING FAST ARE THESE LIZARD PEOPLE ANYWAYS!?" Abuto howled. Face red with anger.

Then what sounded like thick toe nails and a stampede of savage wolves thundered down the hallway nearing the office. Chiaki screamed and took a hold on Kamui's cloak, immediately. Kamui jumped up the earlier made opening up the ceiling to avoid the mass of lizard and knives. The Captain was _good_ at fighting, but he disliked the prospect of being crushed before crushing. He also unwillingly rescued Chiaki from getting killed by the mass of the angry alien lizard elite force. The student nurse realized that she was still hugging Kamui's cloak and immediately let go, successfully avoiding his kick to get her person off him.

She was the luckiest lucky being in the ship, she thought.

"Get in my way again, and I'll kill you." Kamui said to her, eyes blue and blood thirsty, like a monster in the verge of snapping.

Then he jumped back into the pit, head first, spinning down with his umbrella as weapon.

Chiaki froze in the upper level; she could feel the fear inching closer to the tier of "total brown moment in pants."

"Crap, the Captain is getting in touch with his bad habits again." Abuto said to no one in particular, but he said it near Chiaki so he would sound all cool and wisdomy from her part. He was itching to jump down and join the bloodshed, but he knew that he will get caught into Kamui's umbrella.

"He's going to get killed.." Chiaki muttered.

"Heh, you obviously haven't seen a Yato fight before. The Captain will be bored soon, these sons of bitches may look tough, but once he finds out they cut like paper in the bellies, this will be done in no time." Abuto looked down the hole. "That King is a real idiot."

Chiaki felt strangely safer being in Abuto's presence, the hay haired uncle won't stop running his mouth but his assurance made her feel secure. There was a bloodied knife beside her that she immediately pocketed and felt her stomach churn at the sound of gun shots and the familiar squelch of blood.

Then Abuto jumped down the hole.

"Wait! Where are you going?... Don't go." Chiaki squeaked.

It was a small hissing sound first. Then a blue leg, a tail and a giant head peeped from the hallway next to her. It was a massive lizard, way larger than the one she saw murdered crept near her with an absolute intent for murder.

She stared at its angry for a long moment, her breathing harder than it was a moment ago. This should've been easy, she went out to ask for medical supplies and now she had to fight a lizard thing with a slimy flicking tongue. She figured that her luck would run out, but she didn't expect it to leave her this quick.


	3. Chapter 3

It went faster than she had expected. One moment, she was scrambling away from the hissing, snarling monster and then she felt it, it must have felt the same as a car accident, the giant Lizard swiped his arm and made contact just below where her arm connected with her shoulder. Chiaki screamed painfully, her left arm made a fleshy sounding pop and blood oozed out from a scratch wound. She dropped her knife and bent down to pick it up. The Amanto was faster, he swiped again. This time, Chiaki saw it and moved away. His nails caught her hair, but they were sharp enough to cut it into pieces.

The general took his sword and aimed for her vitals.

Chiaki panicked when she saw the giant sword and jumped at the carter connecting downstairs. The fall wasn't a good one, it knocked her breath out and she fell in a painful heap. She rolled to her right away from the mound of debris she fell into, away from the reaching distance of the killing machine. The crater, it turned out was too small for the Lizard man to enter. She let out a breath of shaky relief and tried to stand up, her legs seemed fine enough, only a little bruised. Her left arm worried her, but a quick inspection rendered the wound not fatal.

"Don't think you'll be escaping any soon!" The lizard spoke, its voice snakelike, deep, it made Chiaki shiver. She gave him a look of defiance, too scared to speak and scampered off like a bat out of hell away from the office.

She didn't have a plan, her mind was whirling, too panicked to think coherently. She followed the trail of bloodshed. She knew there wasn't anywhere safe to hide in that floor, her only hope was to lead the General to the Captain so they could kill him before he could kill her.

The lizard let out an angry howl, weak prey are supposed to not bother him, but he couldn't let this one escape so easily.

He dug his sword to the metal flooring and used it as a lever to break the floor.

* * *

"Sooooo…. You know, they say if you show your asshole to moonlight. Your hemorrhoids will be cured." Abuto swiped the 383th lizard unconscious with his umbrella. His face impassive, foot work walking. He felt the battle he was fighting was like him playing tennis with a bunch of noobs. There wasn't anything interesting in that fight. Plus, he wanted to make conversation.

Kamui was crouched on the floor, shooting the 594th lizard that went near him. Maaaan he was bored. If there was one thing the Lizard people was good at, it was reproducing. But mass production ruins quality. The King's attack didn't have a solid plan, maybe, Kamui thought, if he would have not provoked the King too much, his royal highness would have thought of a better plan, rather than mindless attacking.

Kamui yawned.

"You have hemorrhoids? Abuto?" He looked at Abuto with a little interest. Any blackmail information was very welcome.

"No, but I want to visit moonlight planet next, I heard they have the strongest moonlight in the universe." Abuto mused, feeling his hemorrhoids shift.

"Just admit it" Kamui shot the last of the lizards.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY GETOUTOFTHEWAY MOVEITYOUFUCKERS!"

From a distance, Kamui could make out Chiaki, her long pink hair now jagged in the edges, clothes in tatters. She was running towards their direction furiously, grasping her bleeding left arm.

Then Kamui felt it, the floor shook in intervals, seconds later, he saw a hideous lizard general that was at least five times bigger than the ones they fought, eyes white with fury and with scales as armor, only meters away from the human girl right now.

"MOOOVEEE" Chiaki said, a little bit ticked off by their lack of response. As if running on top of corpses wasn't hard enough, those two idiots just had to block the hallway.

_DO SOMETHING DAMMIT! _She thought, jumping over a still twitching corpse of a larger lizard when she stepped on a pool of blood, slid and face planted on Kamui's hard chest. Somehow, she thought, that running straight into a brick wall will hurt less than running into a Yato's chest of steel.

As if her worth in Kamui's ship couldn't be lessened any further,

Kamui did a parkour like jump and kicked the giant in the chest. The lizard toppled back giving Kamui the advantage of snapping its head off in an instant. Then he did a flip and landed gracefully between Abuto and Chiaki, blood artfully sprayed into his face, as if it was flicked with reason by some psycho artist.

"And I thought pissing off that stupid King was worth something… I guess I was wrong." Kamui said, throwing the Lizard's separated head behind him, as if murdering half a hundred lizards was an everyday feat. The lizard head flopped on the floor and rolled away, the body twitched a few times then fell with a heavy thump.

Chiaki resisted the urge to go down on her knees and start naming Kamui as her new God and only King-er, _Captain._ Whatever shit that was, it was amazing, but the nurse will never forget their attempts of trying to sacrifice her on some remote dirt planet at every chance they got. She struggled to put an unimpressed face. These people are much, much more dangerous than any Lizard General or maybe anything she will ever meet.

_Heh, now that she knows my true strength, this human loser will definitely start cowering in fear_. This was a super effective method of putting cannon fodder in their proper places. Kamui smiled to himself, waiting… _waiting._

He turned his head to the side to see Chiaki try to raise her bleeding left arm angle by angle, as if slowly trying to recite something in class. Her face away from his line of vision. Abuto on the other side wasn't even doing the, _"heh, Captain, you and your bad habits, you~"_ bullshit he never fails to repeat every time Kamui goes on a parkour, bone smashing, face breaking, bullet shooting, hefty explosion filled murder spree. Abuto was on his Universal Phone, angrily contacting the King of the Lizard people, he was threatening the reptile to pay for the ship's damages.

He turned to Chiaki again.

"What are you doing?" He asked, trying to understand the strangeness of her left arm exercises.

Chiaki faced the man, her wide chocolate brown eyes showing a lot of pain, her cheeks pink, puffed with air.

"My, arm… My arm, I'm trying to get the bone go back into place, it's dislocated." She said between breaths. She raised her arm higher this time, feeling her upper arm bone slowly inch its way back.

"Ah." Kamui said.

Then he caught her left elbow and forcefully slammed the bone back into its socket.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?" She darted away from him, pointing an accusing finger at his direction. That damn well _hurt._

"You were taking too long." He said nonchalantly.

"I was almost to it!." She huffed, face red from anger. She shot him a look, made an indefinable noise then approached Abuto. She shooed him away from his spot, which he reluctantly agreed and held on with two hands the edge of a metal plated wall. She took a breath then pulled it open, revealing a dimly lighted space with a bed on the far corner, it was the glorified storage closet, her clinic. Kamui watched in interest as she pulled out a heavy looking kit and treated her arm wound.

She approached him a few minutes after.

"Captain, you have wounds?"

"No."

She looked back at Abuto who was now screaming in a high pitched angry adult male voice in the phone. Seeing that he was well enough to be frolicking atop corpses while discussing about the taxes he needed to collect, she looked away from him.

She cleared her throat and stared at Kamui dead in the eye.

"Captain, I have a request." She said in the most confident voice she could ever try make. At a normal-er situation, she would have hopped inside the clinic and never leave, forever. But she saw the blood on that Lizard guy's long sword, it was unlikely that he would harm his own soldiers, there were either dead or injured pirates on the upper level and it was her job to help them.

Kamui made a creepier smile.

She took it increased level of creepiness as her cue to continue.

"Can you help me up the opening in your office's ceiling. There is a chance that you may have injured comrades, upstairs."

Kamui raised an eyebrow.

"No." He said.

"Very well. I knew it would come to this." Chiaki muttered darkly. Abuto looked to their direction and Kamui readied himself for upcoming weak attacks.

_I know it's too early to use this, but…_ The nurse remembered the amount of blood dripping from the Lizard's sword. Someone might be in peril and she would be late if she took the stairs. Why is this ship so damn big…

"Here" Chiaki put her free arm into her pocket and tada, she held out a dirty looking keychain, which suspiciously looked like sausage and manberries in shiny buff metal.

Kamui's eyes widened.

Chiaki smirked, a dark shadow was cast into her eyes, making her look intimidating for a pink haired short teenager. "I see you know what this is." She said.

"Only a fool would not know what that is, it's the Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon limited edition keychain, only a hundred was made in all Universe. How did a shrimp like you get ahold of that." Kamui said darkly, he killed for less.

"Pure luck." Chiaki replied, as if it explained everything. The revolting thing was actually proudly given to her by her mother when she passed her college entrance exam. It was something she had with her person, along with several other trinkets, when she was dragged to Kamui's ship.

"Bring me up and this will be yours."

There was a few seconds of silence before Kamui took her by the collar of her shirt and carried her on shoulder transport as if she was a sack of galactic potatoes then ran to his office with her screeching and flailing, saying something in the lines of: _"I CAN WALK_!" and "_ STOP PLEASE I HAVE BRUISED RIBS!"_

"Yes, and I want 70 000 000 space dollars for the damage, alri- Captain?" Abuto looked around. _Shit_, he was so engrossed at swindling the king, he didn't notice the Captain run off, and where was the nurse too? He had a bite wound in his ass, and it was starting to feel a little sketchy.

* * *

Chiaki found out that not all Yato were friggin killer skilled as the Captain and the Vice Captain. All members of the 7th division were Yato, all Yato are strong, but not all practiced maiming and killing on a daily basis. There were those who preferred less violent options, such as piloting ships or figuring out what all the blinking lights and the beeping sounds meant.

Now, there were three Head Pilots on the ship, they switched control every 12 hours, one of them, along with a few other crew laid on the steel cold floor, some bleeding, some dead.

It didn't take Chiaki more than a few minutes to locate the bloodshed. The first man she saw, green haired, in white uniform had his head meters away from the body. She resisted the urge to linger and rushed forward.

_Crackk_

"Eh?" Chiaki turned around and pursed her lips to the sight. Kamui was standing above the poor corpse; its ribs were breaking at the weight of the smiling Captain. She noted that the vulgar keychain was attached to his umbrella handle. "What are you doing here?" She asked suspiciously, she needed to help people dammit! She wouldn't be that efficient with a dangerous kidnapper looming over her. _'and don't you have anything more important to do? Like, rebraiding your hair, stealing from the blind or swindling your subordinates?'_

"This is my ship, I go wherever I want." He replied, walking forward and crushing the arm of the corpse.

Chiaki's face blanched.

She took a step backward.

He took a step forward.

When it was evident that he was following her, she was tempted to do freaking parkour and try to lose him like what they do in the movies, but she heard groans in the next corner and decided, _fuck it._

She saw four men, three was moving, and the other one on the far back didn't seem to be conscious. She kneeled to the first Yato who was heavily bleeding from a leg wound. She quickly elevated the wound and took sterile bandages from her kit. She was about to put pressure on the wound when she heard another Yato groan in pain. There were others who needed her help and she couldn't be in two places at once.

"Captain?" She tested, looking up to him.

"What?"

"Can you help out a comrade here?" _PLEASESAYYESPLEASESAYYES_ It was a miracle that Kamui was in a horribly good mood then, because he agreed and even Abuto couldn't get him to help with anything. If Abuto was there, he would have resisted the urge to bow down and start naming Chiaki as his new Queen and God.

"Great, put pressure in his wound until I tell you to stop, thank you." She said with genuine relief as she handed him the bandages. She checked her watch to gauge fifteen minutes when she saw it was broken and missing its second and hour hand. _Awesome_, she thought depressingly, her only way of telling time in that dark leaky ship was now gone. She went and started treating another crew who had much serious injuries than the earlier man.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the ship:

"Captain? Captain? Where are you?" Abuto lifted a mutilated lizard carcass with his equally bloody umbrella and checked under it.

"SHITTY CAPTAIN?" He tried, silence echoed like a heavy fog.

"DAMN SHITTY CAPTAIN THAT ALWAYS GETS US LOW ON FOOD SUPPLIES!?" He tried again, silence again.

"OI I HAVE HEMMORHOIDS!" Silence.

Abuto felt a vein pop.

"ASSHOLE CAPTAIN COME OUT NOWWW! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU ALL THE TIME! YOU MAKE BAD DECISIONS THAT I ALWAYS HAVE TO DEAL WITH! BUT YOU KNOW WHY I STILL STAY RIGHT BESIDE YOU? IT'S BECAUSE DEEP DOWN INSIDE, I THINK OF YOU AS MY SO-"

Whack

"SON OF A BITCH!" Abuto hollered at the person who slammed a clip board up his spine. He made his best gangsta face and turned to the rude man.

The rude man, was a woman, an old woman with cat features, a cat tail, cat hair for head hair, whiskers and the occasional hairball. The said woman was angry; her tail was stick straight, fangs bared and fur ruffled.

Abuto looked below him and sheepishly laughed. "Oh, hi, health inspector." _Damn I totally forgot about the monthly health check. _Abuto swallowed as he took notice of her clip board filled with giant red x's and angry circle marks. The hallways were filled with lizard remains, dried blood and up the fancy chandeliers, guts hanging like sausages.

He facepalmed.

_Why do I always get the shit end of things?_

* * *

Shinji woke up with an angel holding his life for him. A bloody male angel. A bloody male angel with salmon colored hair, striking blue eyes and a sinister smile who was crushing the bones on his leg. "Captain…wait, CAPTAIN." He said hoarsely. He was bleeding earlier, he knew putting pressure on the wound will stop the blood flow, but Kamui was putting too much damn pressure and he was sure his leg was going to break if it continued on. "CAPTAIN!" He tried again, this time truly desperate.

"Ah, you're finally awake." Kamui said.

"You're putting too much pressure on my leg, Captain! It hurts!" He could feel his eyes dangerously close to pop out of their sockets.

"Sorry, doctor's orders." Kamui smiled wider, putting more pressure on the wound. He remembered asking Chiaki how much pressure to put, she was distracted, sewing a man's chest back, and she muttered something of, 'as hard as you can captain.'

Kamui watched as his subordinate piss himself in pain.

"I-I have an Xbox 360." His subordinate said.

"An Xbox 360?" Kamui repeated with subtle interest.

"I'll give it to you, sir, if you would stop breaking my leg." Kamui released some of the pressure and said; "Doc, the bleeding has stopped."

Chiaki turned to him, about to correct the Captain to call her nurse when she saw that the man wasn't bleeding anymore and was strangely looking all relieved.

"Nice work." She said with relief, smiling brightly at him.

Kamui had to shield his eyes from the radiant purity of her smile.

"Is there any more I can help?" Kamui asked, the prospect of stealing precious items from his own crew with blackmail lightened up his mood.

Chiaki saw the man below her shake his head in refusal, he was making panicked noises. She was going to consider saying 'no'… but Kamui was acting so nice… And there might be more injured people out there.

"Sure." She said.

She wasn't too sure, but she saw the man below her start crying.

It was going to be a longer day than usual.


	4. Chapter 4

The nurse avoided Kamui and Abuto for about half a week before all became complicated. After the entire lizard attack, she made a sling for her dislocated arm and focused on how to not get abducted and be carted off as sacrifice.

She welcomed those who was injured to her clinic and were dismayed when she found out that she was the only one who'll suffer the whole recovery time. The Yato Clan healed crazy fast, unless there were complications like infections or a gigantic splinter, all was well.

By the fourth morning, Chiaki was scraping what was left of the medical supplies she had in her clinic when someone knocked the door. Followed by a:

"Hey, Nurse, get out of there."

Chiaki immediately pulled out the blade from her medical box and rolled under the small bed located a bit to the left of the door. She tried to position herself in a way that her left arm wouldn't get uncomfortable. It was Abuto, and she was damn well sure the man was outside with a sack, ready to kidnap her _again_ and use her as peace treaty item.

Abuto, on the other side of the door was trying hard to remember her name. He remembered asking it once, it started with a C…._Christopher, Charlie? No.. she's Japanese.. Uhh Choji? No that's from Naruto… Uhhhh, it rhymes with Moriarty or something…. Never mind…_

"Pink hair! I know you're in there! I can smell your fear!" Abuto hit the iron door harder. He was starting to get ticked off by the lack of response. He started kicking the door, his boot leaving black marks on iron.

Chiaki resisted the urge to say, "It's not pink, it's strawberry blonde." She scooted further from sight and held her knife securely.

"BITCH GET OUT OF YOUR HOVEL THIS INSTANT"

_Hovel? This conceited bastard._

"It's not a hovel! It's a glorified janitor's closet!" She corrected him, too pissed to control herself.

"HA! So you're in there! Open the door!" He kicked the door harder.

Several crewmen passed by the situation and whispered amongst themselves.

Abuto let out an embarrassed sigh and rammed his remaining arm through the door. His fingers drilled in the metal due to the strong impact. He clenched his fist and pulled, the door creaked in pressure then got separated from its hinges.

Chiaki cursed when light flooded the room. From her vision, under the bed, she saw Abuto walk in. Then he stopped, most likely confused he couldn't see her. She readied herself to run out of the door.

_One_. She thought, _Two, Thr-_

A muscular arm shot out from the end side of the bed. Strong fingers wrapped around Chiaki's ankles, Abuto pulled her roughly out from under. Chiaki started screaming, she kicked him in the chest, but Abuto only grinned horribly. She aimed better and kicked his face. Abuto let out an unamused growl, he grabbed her by the front side of her shirt and hauled her up when Chiaki took a deep breath in, gripped his scarf and hit his forehead with hers.

Abuto's forehead must be made of bricks with skin slapped on top for aesthetic purposes, because Chiaki fell down unconscious after that.

* * *

"Ne, Abuto, it's been an hour now, she's still unconscious, I told you not to kill her." Chiaki felt her injured shoulder get poked by the sharp end of an umbrella.

"I told you already, Captain, she did this to herself." She heard Abuto's irritated whiny voice.

She felt the end of the umbrella travel up, until it was contented on poking her cheek.

"Well, I guess if she doesn't wake up in three seconds, we'll kill he-"

"I'M AWAKE!" Chiaki jolted up from a chair and sat with her back straight, she was in Kamui's office, sitting on an office chair with a large desk. Her hair was in a mess, clothes ruffled and a purple bruise was starting to color at her forehead. The said bruise was hurting and burning like someone was hammering a nail into her skull. "What can I do for you?" She said, shivering a little. The Captain's office was now repaired, looking as good as when she entered it the first time, it was also, again, freezing. She didn't fancy visiting the man, more of visiting the man wearing clothing inappropriate for subzero temperatures.

"Abuto said you can read right?" Kamui aimed the end of his umbrella to her face.

"Uhh, yes, I guess so." She said, trying to subtly shift away from the umbrella's range.

"Great, now do this." In a matter of a split second, an inhumane stack of disheveled papers were stacked in front of Chiaki. Followed by three more, the nurse was sure that if it was silent enough, she would have been able to hear the table creak in the sheer weight of the paper.

"Do this? What?" She said confusedly.

"Do the paperwork idiot." Abuto offhandedly scattered pens and ink bottles on her desk. "You do the taxes, segregate the papers, do the entire accounting thing, while we fuck around the place. Understand?" Abuto sometimes could be a slave driver if he wanted to.

"What if I sabotage your taxes? What if I make shit decisions that will ruin the entire 7th divisions?" Chiaki asked, she didn't quite understand their bizarre actions.

"We know you don't have enough guts to do that." Kamui said.

Chiaki took the first sheet of paper from the pile nearest to her, the sheet look serious, several bold letters announced its contents, and the stamp on the left hand corner indicated it was not from a friendly organization. She put the paper back to its place and felt a headache come in.

"I can't do this, I'm a _nurse_, I already accepted to do what it is to do under the profession in which you kidnapped me. This is serious stuff and I do not feel that I am entirely capable of accomplishing it." She said. There was no good reason for them to force her into doing their work, she was not interested and she highly doubted she would be skilled enough in the art of doing paperwork. _I'll probably fuck up. _Chiaki stood up.

"Then, do it or die." Kamui smiled. He pointed his umbrella to her.

"I don't th-"

A bullet whizzed through the side of her skull, barely missing her by inches.

"Of course I'll do it Captain. Just to prove my loyalty to you, I'll finish half of these in next few hours. Even though I know that both of you are completely literate and intelligent enough to do it. I completely offer my services." She sweat dropped and hurriedly took the nearest folder and started flipping through the pages. It was easy to forget that her Captain was a super gangster who's probably killed up to half the population of Japan, him being innocent looking and all that.

When she realized that the two Yato was still standing there, firm in their pose and lips tight. She swallowed when she knew her mistake.

"You're literate right?" She gaped, blinking at the two. Kamui's expression was unreadable, while Abuto was giving her a sheepish smile.

"Well, when it was my time, learning how to read wasn't important, we primarily focused on getting stronger." Abuto said.

_A lot of good that must have given you. _Chiaki thought bitterly, she didn't hate the man's guts, but she was angry at him, and his Captain, for everything mostly. But now she felt a bit of pity towards them. A bit.

"I guess it was the same for you." She said to Kamui who was looking dead serious.

"Nah, Captain knows the basics, he's just a lazy bastard." Abuto grinned.

Chiaki suppressed the feeling of stabbing the man with a fountain pen. She just stabbed the table instead.

"Basics?" She inquired, reading the first paragraph of the file she held.

"Well, the Captain can read a little, but his handwriting looks like shi-"

Before Abuto could say shit, Kamui angled his body, twisted from the back, and slammed his foot on Abuto's torso. Abuto blocked the kick with his umbrella and somersaulted a distance away from his Captain. Chiaki stood up again from her seat, she intended to say 'stop', but the speed of Kamui's attack terrified her.

Chiaki felt liquid run through her skirt, down her legs. She imagined the worst that she had pissed herself, but when she looked down, she found out that the bottle of ink from her table toppled over and spread a dark stain below her crotch to down her legs.

_There goes my only skirt, well I guess I have to wear those ugly patient pants back at the clinic._

"Don't worry Captain-sama, I won't tell anyone, I swear on my life_." Now to go away and get me started please._

Abuto announced to everyone that he had some important 'Vice Captain' stuff to do and disappeared. Kamui still remained in the office, but his unapproachable demeanor made him seem miles away.

Chiaki sighed, she always thought Abuto was one who did all the paperwork while the Captain slacked off, it turned out that the both of them lazed around and some poor bastard did all the work. She wondered about the identity of the poor man who got abused by the both of them.

*Somewhere in a different universe:

"ACHOOO" Dead Ungyou sneezed. Strange, he thought. He took his flu shots a month ago.

"Ey, someone must be thinking of you." Dead Housen said sipping his sake.

"Or maybe it's the dust around here." Dead Ungyou shook his head disapprovingly. He looked out of his hut and saw Dead Okita Mitsuba sweeping her lawn clean.

"Oi! Lady! Why not help us out here!" He called out.

Dead Okita Mitsuba threw the pointed end of her broom at his dead forehead, knocking him out.

Somewhere in the same universe:

"And, we would like to thank you for…" Chiaki squinted. She had written the same sentence, _thrice_ in a paragraph. "Dammit" She muttered, rubbing her tired eyes. She glanced at the clock behind her and took note that she had been sitting there since four in the afternoon until 11 in the evening. She only took toilet breaks, drank water and ate what was left of the stale bread she begged to have from the kitchens. All under the calculating gaze, Kamui wasn't looking but she would be an idiot not to know, of the Captain. She took stretches at about 8 in the evening when the Captain left the office, he hasn't come back after that, and she felt like a fool.

Chiaki sighted, this wasn't working, and the quality of her work diminished as the hours grew longer. The stack of papers didn't even seem to be lessening as fast as she wanted it to be.

The nurse took a wobbly step up, tested her balance, closed the lights of the office and locked its doors. She teetered to her office, and had a frustrating time trying to secure the broken door of her office. _Damn Abuto for destroying my only means of privacy on this ship. _Chiaki kicked the door in the end, wobbled to her bed, kicked her shoes off and didn't remember falling asleep.

3am:

"Uhh, excuse me." Someone poked Chiaki's cheek. Lately, Yato kept on doing that.

Chiaki groaned and rolled to her side, away from the intruder. The man knitted his eyebrows and saw her disheveled state, her shoes weren't even halfway removed yet, and her door was broken, but he needed help, and she was the only medic available.

"Doc." He poked her on the side this time.

Chiaki cracked a single eye open and screamed.

The intruder was large dark man, with muscles as big as logs, dark black moustache and no eyebrows, even darker hair was in a braid.

"Wait, just hear me out!" He avoided the pillow the nurse threw at him and caught the Ming dynasty vase that was thrown at his face. Chiaki didn't know where she got the vase, but seeing someone so terrifying first thing when you wake up was well, terrifying.

The man slowly put the vase down and gave her a peace sign. "Sorry for waking you up, but someone axed my back and I can't pull the weapon out." He put up an embarrassed grin.

Chiaki scowled and walked to his back, there was a large wood splitting axe embedded to between his shoulder blades. The man tried to reach it, but he was genuine when he said that he couldn't. The nurse sleepily took a short stool, stood on top of it and yanked the bloody thing out of his back. "Hold still while I get my kit." She said, handing him the weapon. "No, I'm okay." The man did a stretch, patted her head and left the clinic. But not before neatly placing her useless door at an angle so that it would at least cover something.

"Yeah, thanks." She said when he blocked her doorway and rolled back to her bed. _He'll come back after four days with an infection. _She thought. Yato were like that, they were a prideful race that doesn't bother fixing things, unless it was too late.

6 am:

Kamui moved from sleeping on his left side to sleeping on his back.

6:30 am:

Kamui moved from sleeping on his back to sleeping on his right side.

6:32 am:

Abuto watched in horror as a strand of white hair from his nose was clearly visible from the mirror.

6:35 am:

Chiaki stub her toe on a Ming dynasty vase that was hazardously placed beside her bed. She screamed and felt her eyes water from the pain it caused.

6:50 am:

Abuto decided to pull the strand of hair out. He took tweezers and YANKED THE ALBINO NOSE HAIR. Across the ship, there was a mysterious manly scream that erupted.

7:00 am

Chiaki knew she wasn't a vile creature. She knew she tried hard to avoid speaking unkindly to other people. She _tried_ hard, even when abducted, but her built up anger and frustration often clouds her reason. Now, as she walked, or maybe limped to her Captain's office. She had accidentally, without any mean intent brushed against the arm of a man, a Yato, who in coincidence was a man with unsavory character, racist, sexist, the kind of drunk you don't invite to your family gatherings, and quite possibly, the same kind of drunk who would hit his own wife and children out of a simple misunderstanding, in Chiaki's imagination of course.

She apologized and moved aside, giving the muscular man more than enough space to fit his person in.

He had other ideas.

He shoved her aside and said, "Watch, were ya're goin you fuckin bitch." _No need for the B word good sire._

Then he spat at her feet and glared at her.

"I said I'm sorry." She tried to ignore the sticky feel of her unfortunate foot. _Way to ruin a bad morning, jerk._

He smelled faintly of strong alcohol too.

"Well ya should be, why are you prancin around here even? Whores are no use for pirating!."

She forced a smile and said, "Well, no, I'm a doctor actually." She lied, it sounded infinitely better than student nurse, and hey, she read most of their medical books here and sometimes they call her, 'doc.'

"Doctor? Why don't ya stick to sucking pricks?" He turned away, triumphant.

Chiaki breathed in, _one, two, three…. Godsdammit. _Then she continued to the office, muttering a string of curses that would easily turned the story into rated M.

I wonder if I can smear his spit to Abuto's long ass cloak without him noticing.

It turned out Abuto didn't notice at all.

She started rewriting the last two pages she finished last night, she threw the original, deeming them too embarrassingly filled with errors. She was nearing the end of a page when the Vice Captain entered the second time on the office. (He was there when she first entered, and thus she smeared on him an ungodly amount of spit from her foot) Only this time, he was eating a giant steaming (pork?) bun and had something hanging off his shoulders. **Chiaki facepalmed when she saw that it was Kamui, his lower legs were hooked on the Vice Captain's shoulders. Kamui was upside down, hanging from Abuto's back, _reading _To Love Ru Darkness.

_So you only actually read when it's convenient for you, huh, bastard._

"Actually, I think he just tries to make sense of the pictures." Abuto replied, taking another bite.

"What?" Chiaki stared at the man. She said that aloud didn't she? Oops. She stole a glance from Kamui and found him too engrossed in the book to react on her statement.

_UUUURRRGHHHHHHHH~ _Chiaki's stomach growled.

Kamui fell from Abuto's back and did a complicated pirouette thing that made him look cool. The Captain and the Vice Captain looked at her with confusion.

"That wasn't me." The nurse said, lifting the both of her hands in defeat.

_UUUUUUURRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH~ _Chiaki's stomach growled again.

Abuto felt a little sad for her. "Doc."

Chiaki looked up and a steaming bun made its way to her face, then it flopped to her lap, whole and still hot. She slowly took the food out from her lap, placed it in the table and blew on her knees, trying to aim at the redder parts. "Shoot, I don't think I have anything for burns." She groaned. "You were supposed to catch it!" Abuto said incredulously. "Well sorry if I'm.. In a sling! And I'm not… ninja fast as you guys!" She reasoned out and bit into the bun.

"Mmm! This is really good!" She beamed and took another bite.

Abuto made a sound of disgust. "You want to say something, Abuto-san?" Chiaki eyed him. In the corner of her vision, Kamui flopped down an orange couch and read his ecchi series. _Huh, since when was there a couch here?_

"Didn't your mom teach you not to speak while your mouth is full?" Abuto scowled.

"I didn't strike me that you are an etiquette guy." She swallowed and bit a larger bite. "And my parents were never there to see me eat, there were always away." She looked away, feeling a familiar emotion creep into her chest. "Much less my mom."

Abuto rubbed his chin, "Hmm." He said thoughtfully, "a tragic past…. Are you an OC?"

"A what?" Chiaki gave him an equally thoughtful look. "No, my past isn't tragic. I had food, sufficient education and parents, even if they weren't around much… I wasn't also abused or anything. I was just, lonely I guess." She gave him a smile. "I actually really miss them." Now her chest hurt. She didn't think she would be this soft in regards to her mom and dad. She took Kamui's dismissiveness and Abuto's silence as cue that they weren't interested. She gripped her pen and continued writing.

"But, you love them right."

_Woah wait… _Chiaki gaped at Abuto incredulously. Did he just say the 'L' word? It felt a little strange for the man to start showing emotion now_. Not while I'm still hating you dammit! How am I supposed to be all angry at both of you if you give me free breakfast and start saying the L word all of the sudden!_

The silence lasted for about five minutes, her staring and gaping at Abuto, and Kamui staring and gaping at Abuto.

"Yes, I love them." Chiaki finally replied.

Abuto put out a long sigh. "Thanks." He said, "that was embarrassing.." he continued. Chiaki could have sworn she saw a brief show of emotion in the man's eyes, but it went away too fast for her to recognize it.

"Humans are stupid then." Kamui said, then folded his legs, never taking eyes from his book.

"I don't believe using me as a basis for all human kind is a fair thing, Captain." The nurse frowned at his comment. She knew humans are a weak, greedy, selfish kind, but she would rather not have some pompous race belittle her race just like that. There are those also, who are strong, courageous and awesome. Chiaki remembered the doctor in her old clinic that helped others, and for some reason, the white natural perm and his band of misfits that gave her a hard time in asking them to pay.

"As I would not also use _you_ to judge your race." She finished, face a little red from irritation.

She jumped as he snapped his book shut.

"Know your place human nurse-san, don't presume to know how my mind works, we are light-years apart, we are very different." Kamui smiled, and for once, Chiaki didn't think of his eyes as 'alarmingly blue that would make anyone jealous', they were innocent looking, but heavy, calculating, _terrifying._

The nurse gulped. She surrendered. But she was defiant, "I didn't mean to imply that there are similarities between us. I personally think that there are none, and would be devastated to find that I am wrong." She watched him for a response. Kamui seemed to ponder a little, he opened his mouth to speak when Abuto rudely interrupted.

"Get a room you guys!" He said, grinning like a fool.

"What?" Chiaki snapped.

"Nothing, I just wanted to say that for some time now, but it's kinda hard since women don't apply for pirating. So I don't really see couples walking by"

"What?" Chiaki said again.

"We don't have Yato women here. You didn't notice?"

Kamui took his manga, held it like a shuriken and aimed for Abuto's head. It flew and dug into the older man's scalp. A fountain of blood ruined the carpet. "That was for interrupting the Captain." Kamui said, he leaned on the couch, procured a meat bun from his pocket and started munching loudly. Abuto ignored his bleeding head and pointed an accusing finger at his Captain. "Give me back my mystery meat bun!" He barked and tackled to Kamui. Kamui kicked his subordinate's chest and had him slammed to the ceiling. Abuto's torso got stuck in the panels. The nurse could hear his screams of curses and threats. She couldn't help him even if she tried, she was too short to reach out and yank the fool from the newly repaired ceiling.

"Got anything else to say?" Kamui cocked his head to her direction.

Chiaki shook her head and made an x sign with her right hand.

"Good, help Abuto and your head will be stuck there next okay?" Kamui ordered darkly.

"Yes! Most feared and respected Captain!" She saluted. She was crying on the inside.

"Good girl." The Captain chirped. He walked near her and shot his arm forward. The nurse yelped and dodged. Only to find out that Kamui wanted to pat her head. She reluctantly allowed him, he gave her three heavy ones and bounded off, most likely to cause abomination on the ship.

_It would be nice if you don't treat me like a dog._

She could imagine herself leveling up from the tier, yesterday's garbage to lice infested vermin to mangy dog.

When he left, the nurse looked at Abuto, who was struggling to remove himself from the ceiling. "Abuto-san.." She tested, not sure if he could hear her.

When she heard a barely audible, "yes" she smiled.

"Thanks for interrupting earlier." If he didn't, Chiaki could have imagined the danger she could have put herself in.

She couldn't hear him then. But if she walked closely, she could hear him ask for help.

She also thought it would be unfair if he didn't know.

"The Captain also removed your pants; you have bad taste in underwear." She said in disgust, collected the paperwork she needed to do and ran off to her clinic. She didn't want to get caught doing forced labor in her Captain's office with a nasty looking chandelier hanging from above.


	5. Chapter 5

It was midnight on the ship.

"Aiko-san, I-" Aiko shushed Chiaki.

"No, no, no dear, call me Aiko-_chan_." The okama's hands currently in his hips. "Y-yes _Aiko-chan_" Chiaki shivered.

"Good." Aiko gave the shivering nurse a coquettish smile. Aiko, ordered attention with his pink hair, a darker, deeper shade than Chiaki's, tanned muscular figure and the colorful contrast his uniform had compared to the other Yato that preferred black. He was a large man, but as he had repeated over and over, a woman at heart.

He looked at Chiaki with disapproving eyes, noting her mismatched shoes and tattered clothing. He made a disapproving sound and went inside the ship's kitchen. Chiaki stood outside the double doors and heard sounds of clanging metal and rustling. The nurse went to the back door of the kitchens, every a few days to beg for food. Initially, she went hungry for a day and a half before meeting Aiko, terrible looking he may be, he was genuinely kind. Appearances are deceiving, she thought, she never found truth in that saying until her days on the leaky ship. She thought of the Captain, he looked normal, compared to his men, but he was their bancho she hasn't seen him for days, which was good.

"Human nurse-san? What are you doing?" Chiaki yelped and spun to see Kamui behind her.

"Captain?" She squinted. Kamui looked like hell, his braid was half undone, clothes a bit ruffled and there were bags under the bags of his eyes. He looked a bit icky, hell, he looked like he was mauled by hellhounds and left under the sun for days.

"Lieutenant? What are you doing here?" Kamui ignored the nurse and stared at his lieutenant, who was holding bread, apple like fruits and two bottles of juice and a glass bottle of milk in hand.

"Just giving Chiaki food." Aiko handed the goods to Chiaki who smiled sheepishly at Kamui.

"Wait. Lieutenant? You're the Vice Captain?" The nurse questioned the Okama who in reply waved his hips obscenely and giggled.

"No, dear, I'm the second lieutenant. Abuto-kun is the Vice-Captain, you see, I get the job when he dies." There was a dark glint in his eyes that they ignored.

"Ah! But look at the time, I still have a few dishes to finish! See you later Chiaki, see you later Kamui-sama." Then he bounced off merrily, and entered the double doors.

_Don't leave me alone with Kamui-sama!_ Chiaki thought with a look of restrained fear.

"Can't sleep huh?" She gave him a large smile.

Kamui avoided the purity of her smile. He covered his eyes a bit. "How did you know?" He asked, voice a bit too rusty.

_Maybe because you look like you haven't slept a wink since three days ago?_ She decided to not be a smart ass.

"Because you're awake?" She said instead, and dug her heel on her own foot because of her stupidity.

When Kamui didn't give a reaction, she gave a sigh then slowly backed away.

Kamui put a hand on top of Chiaki's head, gripped her skull tightly and then loomed over her.

"How the hell did ya manage to beg food from the Okama Lieutenant Human nurse-san?" _I've tried for years now, YEARS! And all I get is a freaking 'tsk tsk' disgusting gesture and him saying that I need to lessen what I eat!_ No, Kamui wasn't jealous at all. He could have killed Aiko already, but he cooks so good, and he was good at employing crew.

"I don't know! I begged desperately! You're crushing my skull!"

"How did you beg!" Kamui lifted her by her skull.

"I'll show you DAMMIT! Just let go!" She squealed. Kamui let go and stared at her intently.

_I can't believe this is really happening…_ Chiaki gulped. "Okay, the key thing is to look despondent enough for Aiko…-chan….. to believe!"

"Show me." Kamui looked dead serious enough.

"You have to look all dirty and tired…. Which you do right now so, good job!" Chiaki said smiling wryly. "Okay…and then, you just knock at the doors and pretend you're that hungry, Aiko…..-chan…. Will give you food then, BUT don't feel discouraged if you fail! It took me two tries to get a loaf from him." She said giving him a shaky thumbs up, partly from the weight of the food that she held. "I'll get out of sight so it will be more effective okay?" She stammered out. There was a cloud of ominous miasma gathering around Kamui. _Two tries…. Two tries… _Kamui tried every three nights or so, and that Okama just won't give him a small midnight snack.

Kamui gave her a look of 'this better work' and knocked.

"Yeeesssss?" High pitched and girly. Aiko emerged from the kitchen doors with a ladle in hand, wearing a pink frilly apron. He was busy preparing breakfast.

Kamui tried to look desperate. However, what came out was eyes expressing a promise of death and bloodshed.

"Give me food." He said.

Aiko stared at him with a stoic expression and shut the door closed.

"It's okay." Chiaki said from the side, trying to give the Captain some comfort. "You'll get it next time."

_UUUUUUURRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHUUAAGGHHHUUEGGHHHHH _Kamui's stomach growled. The vile monster from the deepest pit has been awakened due to starvation.

"Or not.." Chiaki stared at Kamui who jumped at the doors and kicked it. The door merely shook. Kamui angrily punched the metal, soon enough imprints of his fists and bullet holes decorated the double doors. But it stood strong.

_Mannn I need that door._

"Captain?" Chiaki whispered.

Kamui stopped mid punch and glared at her hard, with shadowy eyes.

She handed out a meat bun and three pieces of fruit.

Kamui stood straight, he squinted.

"Don't squint Kamui-sama~! You'll get wrinkles and crow's feet easily!" Aiko popped his head up from the door and immediately retreated back when Kamui whacked his umbrella on where his head previously was.

"Here." Chiaki approached the Captain and gave him the bun and fruits.

Kamui stared at her wordlessly, his eyes were still dark and bloodshot from lack of sleep, but they weren't brutal.

"You're welcome." She said, smiling.

She turned around to leave, hoping Kamui won't get the idea that killing her will lead to tripling his plunder.

"Oh!" She remembered something and turned to the red head. Who was still standing stick still. "Milk can help you sleep. It helps me sleep, so maybe it'll work for you too. Ehe… hehe…" She gingerly placed the bottle of milk near the Captain.

"Good night Captain, have a good rest." She said finally. Giving him a perfect ninety degree bow and sprinted back to her home base.

* * *

_"I'm gonna be late." Chiaki said offhandedly. Then, she picked up her bag and turned to leave when her father yanked her by the arm, his nails digging into her skin._

_"Look at me when I'm talking to you, Chiaki!"_

_Wait a bit, this dream again? Chiaki thought. Oh, no. Then Captain will…._

_"Let me go!" She struggled on his grip. Craning her neck to behind her father, if Kamui was there, she should be able to stop him before he stabs her father to death. Just like what happened the last time she dreamed this._

_"Pay attention when I'm speaking!"_

_"Let go of me! Look behind you!" Chiaki pulled her arm back. She saw her mother walk through their doorway. Her father looked behind him when a familiar purple umbrella shot through air sideways and knocked her father unconscious._

_Her mother screamed, Chiaki ignored her and glared angrily at Kamui._

_"What was that for!" Chiaki held her dad in a better position on the floor._

_"The old man was getting noisy." Kamui said, his umbrella resting on his shoulders. Behind him, Abuto was using his pinky finger to pick out something from his ear._

_The hell? Even Abuto-san is in the dream?_

_Chiaki felt the bite of cold wind and shivered._

Chiaki felt the bite of cold wind and opened her eyes. Kamui yanked off the blankets covering her body. She instantly felt panic.

"Where's the emergency!" She tumbled out of bed, and kicked the bed sheet that got entangled by her foot. She hurriedly brushed her ruffled hair with her fingers and snatched the medical box from her bedside. If Kamui himself was there, then serious shit was upon them, and her service was needed.

"Let's go get breakfast." The Captain said.

"What?" Chiaki said intelligently.

"Are you deaf as well as an idiot?" He said, there was mirth in his eyes. His eyes were not bloodshot and there were no bags that decorated under. In short, he was sparkling and full of energy. It was heavily contrasted to Chiaki who barely slept; she was slouched, tired and pissed off.

"No, no, no, I heard you the first time" She pursed her lips in irritation. "What, the_ hell_ are you doing here!" She waved her arms frantically. This was wrong in many ways. _And where is your loyal pup Abuto who's always around? Huh?_

"For breakfast." Kamui simply replied.

"Breakfast?"

"I don't like being in debt."

Chiaki stared at him incredulously, made incoherent sounds and gave up._ Oh, yes, the milk and the pork bun, yes. _She dropped her box and put on shoes, her right shoe, which was with her when she was taken, and a left shoe, the one she found under the bed when she cleaned the pace. Kamui frowned at that. She frowned too, she hadn't had any choice dammit! There weren't malls in the ship, and what would she do? Ask for donations?

She went to a cramped corner and struggled to pull open a cabinet door. She reached out and pulled a blazer from her school uniform, she wore it and stared at Kamui who was staring disapprovingly.

"Hey, I know I look like an idiot, but I got no choice in this matter." She was wearing sky blue nurse pants, her black blazer to cover her dirty blouse, black socks and those horrid shoes.

She didn't have decenter clothes… unless she wanted to parade around in a sailor uniform, with the skirt and all that.

Ten minutes later:

Chiaki did a double take; she almost gaped, almost, at the place around her. 'Let's go get breakfast.' yeah right, and by people in the seventh division, it meant sitting along with beefy men in a crowded, smelly canteen. Unfortunately, Chiaki wasn't blessed with the sixth appendage and wasn't ripped like the rest of the clan. Such a sight was worthy of eye-bleach. The canteen looked more like a fighting arena jungle than a place to sit and fill one's own hunger bars. "You eat here?" She muttered, feeling her resolve dwindle in the wind. Thankfully no one yet has noticed her presence; there would be no shame to run away. She will remember the way to the Canteen and avoid it…. Forever… _Is that a cow?_

In her peripheral vision, she saw a large man, dressed as a chef; pull a live struggling three eyed cow into the kitchen.

"Wow, look at the time." She said pointing at her wrist where her watch had been. "I really need to find poultice." Chiaki said and turned around, ready to run when Kamui caught her by the neck. He wasn't the least bit amused.

Who can blame her?

"You have hid in the shadows for too long Human nurse-san. Look" He grabbed her head and forcefully turned it so she could see Abuto. The dirty blonde was approaching a long table, whistling. Then he jumped forward! He crashed with a bigger more muscled fellow who was going to sit and rolled on the metal floor. Snarling and attacking with fervor. Chiaki gaped in horror as the bigger of them both, ripped a tuft of hair from Abuto's scalp. Abuto screamed and punched his neck. The unnamed Yato chocked, spit flew from his mouth in effort to breathe. Abuto stood triumphant and took the man's seat. His fellow comrades saluted at him and patted his back in a congratulatory manner.

_'They're barbarians!'_ Chiaki felt her blood freeze.

"Normally, Abuto is not allowed to attack anyone on the ship, I've forbidden him to do so –he kills all the strong opponents, so I miss the fun stuff– but, here I allow him to. Each Yato needs to fight for his own place in my ship. A good way to show your ranking is to find a seat. Those who sit on the floor, are scum." Kamui said. The man who got whooped by the vice-captain was dragged by a few men to a sad corner of the room. It was dark, and those who sat on the floor had it as their shameful corner.

"You have to try Human nurse-san!" He let her scalp go.

"But.. _I'll get creamed!_" Chiaki said.

"It's an order."

_You're really trying to get me killed huh! You son ova!_

Kamui walked to where Abuto sat, went to the where she called was the 'boss chair' held the poor sod who sat there by the shoulder and in a blink of an eye, he flew ten meters and landed on a heap.

The nurse stood there for a full five minutes debating if she should risk her life and get killed on the Captain's stupid order or postpone her death and die when the Captain orders someone to assassinate her.

_Okay, Chiaki, courage, you can do it! You can do it!_

She walked in, and she could feel the stares. Hopefully, she thought, that those whom she treated could recognize her and maybe provide her with a bit of leeway. She didn't recognize any.

On her left was a lean man, he wore a green Chinese cloth hat, black clothing and thick leader boots. There were machetes strapped to his waist and a green umbrella on his back. He sneered at her. He was looking for a seat too.

On her right was the biggest man she had laid her eyes on. No shirt. Only pants. A scale of 11/10 in manliness. Head, half shaved, black hair on a thick braid, black umbrella.

_Shit…_

Then she saw movement. A Yato, all shield and muscle scooted closer to his companion. If she ran there fast enough. She could sit! She moved five paces to the welcoming space when a thinner, leaner hand appeared from under the table. The hand grasped the wood with its nails and a thin man squeezed himself in and got himself a seat.

"That man is known as sharp nail Kuroda! That's his special technique, under the table claw speed attack. Some say it took years for him to master." No shirt big man whispered to Chiaki's ear, he was full of awe. "The hell are you doing!" She backed away. Surprised. They took it seriously, too seriously. "If you want, we can welcome you to our place." He pointed at the dark shameful corner.

Chiaki was tempted to say yes and go on with it, but Kamui's words echoed in her ear. _"Those who sit on the floor are scum."_

She gulped and politely refused. She would leave if she really couldn't. She still had fruits back at the clinic. The biggest of them three surrendered and sat on the floor. Chiaki felt resolve.

She walked rounds quietly, away from the scary man who had machetes and spotted her opportunity.

A man walked to a rowdy table. He had his back turned at her. He was approaching a seat. She took a short glance at machete man and was glad that he was distracted. She took of her shoes. Sneakily followed the man until he was near the table, then she told herself that the years her father forced her into studying martial arts will pay off now. She may not have able to use it at the Lizard General before, but _now._

She tiptoed, gained speed and aimed a roundhouse kick at the place behind the Yato's knee. The man made a yelp of surprise and fell on his back. She turned to her right sharply to miss his fall. She slipped a little, there wasn't enough friction in her socks, gained her balance and beat the Yato to his seat.

"Yes!" She said, smiling with the radiance of ten Earth suns. Her heart hammering in her chest in fear.

Then there was a deafening silence.

Her two seat mates were terrifying in comparison to the others she's seen. The one on her right was missing an eye and had scars decorate his body. The other one was eating raw meat, biting it, _tearing_ it from bone while glaring at her.

"Chiaki!" There was no mistake, it was Aiko, the okama.

He was sitting in front of her, a bit to the left.

But not anymore, the Lieutenant/cook bounced from his seat and hugged the nurse. His chest laid to a _thud_ on the table and his vice grip allowed minimal oxygen for Chiaki. "That was a~mazing! Never in my imagination would you do that! Don't put yourself in danger again Aki-chaaan!" Those who were on the table who glared at her gaped instead at the okama who was shaking his ass in delight, some vomited, while others looked away in disgust.

"Aiko-chan! I can't breathe!" She said.

"Mou, sorry about that, but you should warn me first before doing that m'kay?" The okama let go of her.

"Yes Aiko-chan!" Chiaki breathed out. Then she gaped.

"Yes, that's right. Beside Aiko-sama is the esteemed Abuto-sama! Abuto-sama is the Vice-Captain, Chief of Political Relations, he is a master, some say, he singlehandedly defeated the army of bikini bombshells in planet blonde bombshells! To the right of Abuto-sama is Kamui-dono! The lightning spear of Harusame! The strongest, fastest, coolest lookin-"

"ARE YOU AN MC OR SOMETHING!" Chiaki slapped the face of the earlier man who offered her to sit on the shameful corner.

"I am Konbu, aspiring MC" He gave her his business card and barrel rolled. _Kelp… I can't believe it, his name means Kelp._

Chiaki wanted to die at the spot. The table she got in was a different from the others. By different, it had more food, the elites of the ship, banners decorating its top and the people who sat are plain scarier than the others. Kamui gave her a thumbs up and Abuto gaped ugly.

She heard a groan and turned around. Then she regretted everything. It was the same sexist rude man whom she bumped into weeks back. He was the one who ridiculed her, who made fun of her profession, _who spat at her feet._ He grunted and approached her. Konbu, who was conveniently standing nearby rushed to the man, slung his arm to his shoulder and led him heartily to the corner of shame.

Chiaki suddenly felt afraid. Her appetite was gone. Her breakfast was_ still_ stale bread, with fear and sleepiness as garnish.

* * *

Abuto kicked the scrap of metal that was once a door which barely covered the entrance of the clinic.

"Chiaki! Paperwork time!" He grinned and wanted to rub his hands together but he only had one arm left so he rubbed his itchy back instead. "Eh? NURSE!" He yelled at looked around the small clinic. He frowned and looked under the bed, none. He approached a rusty looking locker and opened the door, the locker door snapped off its hinges. Abuto gingerly put the door down, checked the bathroom and found no one.

Chiaki smirked from inside the wall. Air vents were a good hiding spot. Abuto had no damn clue where she was, she needed to get revenge from him breaking her locker though.

"I guess she's out huh?" Abuto told himself.

Chiaki smiled triumphantly.

Abuto's arm darted upwards, directly to the air vents. His arm pierced the metal cover and got ahold of Chiaki's arm. She screamed and got dragged out of the space she hid.

"YOU NEVER LEARN DO YOU?!" Abuto laughed and avoided a scratch that she aimed at his neck. He lifted her from her collar and grinned. "Try harder next time, okay?" He smiled wider. Chiaki was unamused. She craned her neck to one side and bit his arm, hard.

"That's not painful." He lifted her higher, inspecting the bleeding arm.

"There is a hundred percent chance that a bite from a human will cause infection." She said. _Revenge!_

Abuto started at her then shrieked. He let go of her collar and she hurriedly made a beeline to the door. Chiaki ran at full speed to the Captain's office. Her initial plan didn't work, but she quickly thought of another. She skidded to a halt and pushed the large doors open with all her strength. The office was dark, there wasn't anyone in. The nurse smiled to herself and hid behind the orange couch Kamui loved to laze in. She knew Abuto wouldn't look for her in the office, where he wanted to drag to her in the first place. She waited for a full ten minutes before sneaking out.

Chiaki took a glance at her left, and at her right then tiptoed back to her clinic, humming the mission impossible theme song in her head. Somehow, in the back of her mind, Chiaki knew that it was futile, but Abuto won't kill her for that bite right? _Right?_

She turned to a corner and immediately retreated. Dirty blonde Abuto-san was having a less than pleasant conversation with the rude scary drunk, whom she learned to be named as Nobuo.

"That _bitch_ is going to cause bad luck in the ship!" Nobuo said in an angry low voice. She could hear him breathe angrily. Chiaki wanted to leave but for some reason, she knew that the man was talking about her.

_"Wrong, a lot of luck, she's doing the paperwork you drunk bastard!"_ Abuto thought.

"I don't believe in superstitions, Nobuo, and she's the _only_ medic, it would be a pain if she died just like that." Abuto said impatiently.

"Medic my ass! She's just a whore that doesn't know anything!"

_Ohhh… burn_. Chiaki felt a vein pop. She should really leave before things get out of hand.

"NO, I'm not gonna get rid of her, and neither should you, vice-captain's orders." Abuto wanted to cross his arms so bad and flip the bird on him twice, but he kept on forgetting that he lost his arm. Sometimes he could still feel it, as if it was there. And it caused embarrassment.

Then Nobuo sloppily pushed Abuto. Abuto stood strong, unamused, his face held no emotion.

Nobuo taunted Abuto in ways that pissed the nurse off. "_Why won't Abuto punch him and get it over with!" _Chiaki thought. _Then remembered, oh yeah, the boss ordered him to not attack anyone on the ship. Right. But he attacked the Captain a few times….So maybe everything will be alright in the end._

Chiaki walked away.

She heard Nobuo say something in the lines of_, you're just pathetic as that –insert b word here-. Stop kissing the Captain's asshole already, it's disgusting!_ Only with more bad words that will turn the fanfiction into not rated M, but rated MA.

Chiaki stopped walking.

"Eh", she said, because her sense of self-preservation wasn't_ normal_, that specific gene of mundane had skipped her generation, her mother mourns.

Abuto must have found it glorious and absolutely outstanding, because he brightened up when Chiaki sneaked behind Nobuo, gripped his abandoned umbrella tight and swung it down to his skull. She wasn't that strong, but the force of her swing, plus the indestructability of the parasol and the drunk as hell state of the rude man certainly helped.

Nobuo wobbled a bit, still confused, and then fell unconscious with a strong thud.

Chiaki sparkled with joy. For the first time, she knocked someone out completely, and not have to go through embarrassment like what happened in Chapter one. He also didn't see her, so it was a win win situation.

"Why?" Abuto said, smiling widely, not the, '_you're next to be brought in the torture chambers muahahaha_' but the, '_You're better than all those fools I command, I'll kill you last."_

_This is your time to act cool Chiaki!_ She thought.

"Because we're friends, and friends are supposed to look out for each other, right?" She smiled. But deep inside she groaned, she should have said cooler lines like, 'heh, he was getting a bit too loud for my liking' but nooooo, she just had to go for the good guy scenario. She gave him a thumb up.

Abuto would have made an expression of being totally touched by the fact that someone volunteered to be his friend, along with the sparkly effects and the roses background, a small drop of tear at his left eye and the choir of the heavenly host would have went down and sung a note or two, if he gave a shit, which he did not. He grabbed the shoulder of her blouse and dragged her to the office, screaming words like, "betrayer!" and "I THOUGHT WE WERE TIGHT!"

**The Office**

Chiaki decided then that she hated Abuto completely. The man was on his own desk, playing a PSP with one hand!

While she was there sitting on her own desk for two hours now doing their taxes. She inwardly hoped that Abuto was not enjoying himself, and was instead playing some barbie dress up game instead.

Chiaki put the neatly filled up forms and found a letter at the bottom. It was not written in Japanese, the blocky text indicated that it was in the language of the Yato. Something she didn't know how to read, the envelope was rough, thick and made of badly glued manila paper, it was sealed with a dollop of wax. There was a crest in the wax. She brought the strange envelope closer to her face and read the tiny Japanese characters in it.

"Umi…Umibo..zu.. Umibozu?" She frowned, _'sea monk? The hell?' _It was a Yokai name a demon, that old folks in Japan would tell granny stories to children. _Why would monks start sending letters to the 7th division._

"Abuto-san?" She called out. Abuto grunted, paused his action game and gave her a look.

"There's a letter."

Abuto walked to her table and read the back part of the letter, to whom it was addressed to.

"It's for Kamui." He said plainly.

"YOU CAN READ AFTER ALL!" She snapped and snatched the letter away from his hand. "I can read specific words in Yato language, like, I know how to write my name, my captain's name, I know the word 'male' they write on bathroom doors."

She frowned at him, with disbelief.

"Okay, fine, I can read some Yato I know ninety percent of the words, but not Japanese." He smiled apologetically. "The Captain's at the third floor balcony." He pointed at the door. Chiaki wanted to tear out his other limb. She shot him a dirty look and pushed the door open, but not before failing twice to pull those damn heavy doors before smiling at Abuto so he could do it for her, with one hand again!

Chiaki frowned while walking to the balcony. She did it when she hid,_ twice!_ Maybe because her energy got drained by doing the entire knock the Yato unconscious gig. She took at peek at where Nobuo was and was satisfied that he was still sleeping on the floor, not able to chase after her.

It was halfway through the long walk to Kamui when she realized that she could have just left the letter at his table and not have to meet him. She groaned and turned to walk back, but then realized that her seven minute walk would have been useless and she would see Abuto's ugly mug again, _at least the Captain has some looks._

She continued walking.

_Nah, he's also ugly as fuck too, reminds me of that Prince Hata-san that always hosts on the rare and endangered species program at Nat Geo._

Chiaki stopped at a large door with a sign on the side that said "Third Floor Balcony." She pushed the doors with all her weight and strength and was awestruck.

An explanation to the dear readers, to be stuck at a ship for a few months now, yes, it had been that long already, with nothing but freezing air-conditioning and stuffy air, victims of this maltreatment would often forget the feel of a warm breeze and sunlight. Such as the reaction of Chiaki.

The sky was red, like an infected wound, there were three suns that warmed the atmosphere. The largest of them loomed over her, taking a portion of the sky, the other two were smaller and one was irregular in shape, almost like the earth's moon when it decides to do the half block of cheese look, it was disturbingly closer than the rest. There were only thin clouds and the sky was littered with giant birds.

The air was hot, but the speed of the ship created a breeze. Chiaki saw Kamui on the far end, sitting on a corner of a ledge, purple umbrella protecting him from ultraviolet rays.

The nurse pocketed the letter and walked over to the side of the balcony. She looked down and saw ridges, cliffs and tall mountains cover the planet. There was no vegetation, and she was too far to see if there were any villages in the place. She craned her neck and gaped when she counted about eight ships that followed the one she was standing on. All the same banners painted on the side.

"If you bend that far enough, you might fall."

"Captain! Please stop doing that!" _And stay in your corner please!_

She frowned, unamused.

"This is a dead planet. We just call it dead because it has little to no value to us." Kamui started babbling. Chiaki dead panned, at least he wasn't being murderous.

"Why are we so close to it then?" She asked.

"We have to restock provisions, the Harusame base a little far off, we can't take any chances."

"Oh."

Meanwhile:

Abuto put an end to three more generic villains on the game. There was something wrong nagging at the back of his skull like he did something stupid or something. The dirty blonde turned his game off and stretched on his chair. He walked to the couch, scratching his ass and laid down comfortably. He planned to take a fifteen minute nap first then finally face the final boss battle. He closed his eyes slowly.

He opened his eyes in panic.

_Shitshitshitshit!_

Who was crazy enough to send letters to the Captain in Yato language? Kamui ordered eradication of letters from his father, complete eradication! And he just- _shit!_

Abuto cursed loudly and ran to where his Captain was.

**Third Floor Balcony:**

"Abuto wanted me to give this to you." She handed Kamui the letter.

Once his fingers touched the envelope, he knew it was from his father. With a flick of a wrist, he let go of the paper, allowing it to fly in the wind.

Chiaki misinterpreted it.

She thought the mail slipped from his fingers.

The nurse leaped and seized the letter away from the embrace of mother wind and though, _shit_. Most of her upper body was in midair. She bent back, to where there was a nearer floor to land in, not the one miles down, but it was too late.

Chiaki yelped and felt her feet abandon the steel floor, she was falling. Then she felt it, Kamui grabbed the shirt Chiaki was wearing in reflex. Once falling to kingdom come, people tend to not notice other people trying to help them. In her case, Kamui, whom wanted to haul her up. He didn't do it out of the good intentions of his heart, providing he had a heart that was able to hold good intentions. It was more of his instinct.

The nurse wasn't heavy, but she struggled and flailed her arms in panic.

Kamui tipped forward, felt the rail dig on his stomach, his feet left the ground and he fell.

Our good Captain was thankfully used to these situations, having a habit to sit on edges of handrails.

He stretched his foot and locked it into the bars of the railing.

He dangled there in the air, still holding the nurse.

"Ola." Chiaki said, in deadpan. "If you let go of me, I'll haunt you forever, you will never have privacy, I'll haunt you while you're sleeping, while you're taking a shit. Who knows, I might haunt you while you're eating as well." She said.

Kamui let go of her.

Chiaki twisted and grabbed his torso and hugged it hard.

"Oops, haha, my hand slipped." Kamui said.

"YOU JUST TRIED TO KILL ME DIDN'T YOU!" Chiaki hugged him harder.

"Captain?" Abuto said from a safer spot of the ship, directly above them. He was going to prevent Chiaki from giving the Captain his father's letter. But it turned out that everything was under control.

"Abuto." They both said, only, Chiaki was more panicked.

"Dammit Captain, I told you to stop sitting on the edge! You're not batman! You know that!"

"Stop trying to make casual conversation and help your Captain!" Chiaki felt her arms slipping.

Kamui was calm as fuck.

Abuto was also calm.

Sometimes, Chiaki wondered if she was the only sane one in the ship.

Abuto bent down, grabbed ahold of Kamui's foot and pulled him back.

Abuto grabbed Kamui's boot.

His boot came off.

_Kamui and Chiaki fell and died, the end._

"DAMMIT BRAIN!" Abuto screamed, it was unforgivable that he had thought of such evil! He looked down below. He could see Kamui and the nurse disappear into one of the ravines in the planet.

He knew there was a 100 percent chance that Kamui would survive. Chiaki well, she'll be forever in his memory as his first friend. Abuto ran into the ship and barked orders to his men, he needed to get the coordinates of the place, and he needed to find his Captain. Kamui left his umbrella and the heat of the three suns will hurt him.


	6. Chapter 6

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Chiaki flipped in the air thrice before physics finally made a decision that she should land back first and have her spine crushed into bits before her other parts gets crushed into bits. "Abuto, I'm gonna haunt you, _forever!_" She cursed loudly and flipped a few more times again. She could see the ground inch closer to her.

"I'm gonna flush your toilet while you're doing your business and it'll be super scary!" She twisted in the air and did another flip.

"I'm going to shave you bald!" She turned over and did an accidental dive and spread her appendages to slow down the fall.

"I'm-" She felt her lungs ache for oxygen, she breathed in deeply and found herself hyperventilating. Chiaki shifted to her side and found herself falling sharply to her right. The nurse bumped hard into Kamui.

"Captain… why aren't we dead yet?" She asked. The fall was feeling a little too long for her liking.

"You're taking this better than expected." Kamui said, arms spread wide, falling with ease. Chiaki was embarrassingly spinning like a top, she felt her stomach lurch.

"What do you mean?" Chiaki was falling faster than the Yato. She waved her hands, trying to slow down.

"You're not screaming my ear off." He smiled to her.

Chiaki frowned.

"We're not dead yet, because it takes about three minutes from that height to down there."

"You're calm." She noted.

"I'll survive." He said diving down.

"Wait!" Chiaki cried and spun uncontrollably. She stretched and swam to the direction of her Captain. Something that she didn't know was possible. She could see the land come dangerously close and panicked. She looked at the ground and Kamui. Well, she thought, if Kamui killed her now then she should be able to avoid dying in a countdown.

She stared at Kamui who stared at her back.

_Fuck it! _Chiaki was about to grab his torso, hoping that maybe, if the man will survive, she will too. Kamui put out a welcoming hand.

Chiaki looked at him suspiciously.

If Kamui was a normal batshit insane Yato, he would have rolled his eyes in irritation, grabbed her, carried her bridal style, opened his umbrella and landed safely in the peak of a mountain, but Kamui is a batshit insane, _batshit insane_ Yato. The Captain of 7th Division pulled her irregularly cut pink hair, flipped her in the air, stomach down and secured her a place in his shoulder. Like a sack of rice in a delivery man's shoulder. When it was time to open his umbrella and decelerate. Kamui looked up and thought, _well, shit._

His glorious purple parasol that had killed _thousands_ of species was not with its master. The purple parasol with years' worth of bloodstains in it, -it was blue when his mother first gave it to him- was sitting forlornly on the third floor balcony. Abuto ordered his men to fetch it and place it in its equally glorious parasol rack, but everybody was having a hard time even getting close to the cursed object. It was emitting an ominous aura, possibly from the souls of the men it killed.

Kamui didn't end up in the peak of a mountain. He landed into the bottom of a ravine, with a broken leg, messed up hair and a slightly malfunctioning ear, also with a human bite on his chest, but that was irrelevant.

When Chiaki asked him why he saved her, he smiled from the center of the crater and said dreadfully, "If I die in the wilderness, I'm not gonna die alone."

Chiaki with bleeding teeth and forehead, painful ribs and spine, stomach hurting like hell, and trauma. She made an 'o' shape with her lips and blinked at him.

Kamui was disappointed with the reaction, but hell would freeze first before he'll show it.

The fall wasn't pleasant, Kamui was, as it turned out, a major noob at aiming to where he should land, he missed all of the elevated lands- where it would be easier for them to find- and landed in a deep canyon in the middle of fuckshit nowhere, the same place where there was a three hundred percent likely chance of being home to poisonous scorpions, belt long centipedes and poisonous snakes that will bring any toxicologist dive to his antidotes.

"Please, you have cockroach level vitality! You're like those characters in the anime that I watch! The ones that don't get blown up when a grenade is thrown at them, only, in your case, still survive a nuclear bomb." Chiaki pressed a finger to her ribs. It hurt. She licked her busted lip and had her tongue touch between her incisors. She face planted _hard_, into Kamui's chest, a tooth felt a little too loose. She vomited too, all over his leg. You see, when something hits you too hard, like a shoulder, into your stomach, you tend to get your breakfast to make a second appearance.

_At least I survived._ Chiaki shrugged.

"Then, if I'm going to suffer, I'm not going to suffer alone." Kamui said, the bastard.

She looked at Kamui who was trying to get up with a broken leg.

_Yeah, I should have died._

"Don't move dammit!" She turned to her side and slowly went to Kamui. "Your leg is obviously broken."

"Uhm, may I?" She inquired, wanting to remove his boot. There wasn't much vegetation in the area, but she knew she could find enough wood or a few twigs to make a splint. She wanted to inspect the damage first.

"No." Kamui said. He stood up fully and walked a bit. He tested his entire weight on his broken leg and found it okay enough to walk in. He looked around the area, sniffed the air and walked to his right.

"Wait, where are you going?" Chiaki asked, finding it difficult to stand too quickly, her heart was still racing, she was still panicked from the fall.

"The ship was only a few hundred miles where we fell from the terminal." He said and disappeared into a crack in a wall.

"Captain! But shouldn't you wait here and not move? Abuto-san might have gotten the coordinates and is going to get you." She said. When there was no response and the shadows cast by the rock formation had eerie snake sounds vibrate in the wind. The nurse took off and followed Kamui.

* * *

"They WHAT?" Aiko was not amused, his arms were folded in his chest, perfect eyebrows in a scrunch.

"They both fell off th-"

"ABUTO! I _know_ what happened, I heard it the first time you said it!" Aiko said disapprovingly. He walked around the room in circles for approximately a minute before turning to Abuto, armed with the most vile motherly okama angry face he could muster.

"Well what are you doing here then? GET A SEARCH PARTY GOING!"

"We have formed a search party already. I got the Captain's coordinates. Now I told him that every time this bullshit happens, he's supposed to stay put and let us do the rescuing. The Captain's smart enough not to do anything stupid like walk to this planet's terminal." Abuto said, he had full trust in his Captain's mind faculties.

Abuto saluted and turned to go, but not before Aiko stopped him with a muscular arm.

"Wait, Abuto, what am I supposed to do with this then?" Aiko held out a dress, a pink glittery frilly dress with rainbows, sequins and a neon green boa to cover the parts of the dress where it barely covered skin. Abuto shielded his eyes from the monstrosity and backed away in apprehension.

"What the _fuck _is that!" Abuto let out a manly screech. Such thing shouldn't even exist in the first place.

"I sewed it for Chiaki!" Aiko let out a coy smile and twirled the dress around. "But she's dead now, so…. Do you want to try this on?" He asked gently.

Abuto choked on thin air, he had a habit on doing that since Hosen had signed Kamui as a member of the Harusame, even more when the old fart retired and hosted a Yato caged fight, where the last one standing will be its new Captain. Abuto whooped a few asses back then, he had a chance, but then Kamui decided to be a jerk and shoved his foot up the poor man's asshole. Abuto survived and was made as the Vice Captain. He had hemorrhoids after that though, so it all turned out bad.

Abuto ran for his life before the dress came any closer.

* * *

Chiaki didn't particularly hate the sun, she didn't particularly loathe anything that much to have a sense of the hating. She was starting to have second thoughts. She still loved the life giving, earth warming, vitamin D providing sun back at home. But three suns? Damn. Chiaki wanted to remote control Kamui's entire fleet to crash into the closest one and destroy it for good. The place heated up like an oven. She tried spitting on the ground once to remove the blood from her mouth only to see it sizzle in the sand and disappear into the atmosphere. Her other shoe was thin on the soles too. It burned her feet a little.

She frowned at looked above. There were at least three vulture like birds that flew above them, each one irritatingly noisy, eyeing the both of them as if they were the only meat seen in months. In such an arid place, she was starting to think they were right.

Her lips were drying up too and the dark school blazer she had was sucking more of the heat than to repel it, but she didn't dare to remove the clothing. She didn't want the suns to have direct contact with her.

She looked at Kamui sluggishly, at least he was okay.

Kamui stopped walking, he sniffed the air, to the left, and to the right. He faced left and tripped on a large boulder.

_He's totally not alright!_

"Hey, hang in there!" Chiaki said, it hasn't even been three hours yet. And Kamui was faltering. "Oi!" She crouched down and rolled him so he faced her. Kamui had bits of sand in his face, his eyes looked glassy and he wasn't responding. Chiaki snapped her fingers.

"What?" Kamui said, looking to his left to face her.

"I don't think you should be in the sun for too long that was what the umbrellas were for right?" _I thought they were more of a fashion statement, or a Clan weapon. I should have known, stupid, stupid, stupid._

"I'm okay." Kamui said stubbornly.

"We've been walking straight for hours now, you have to get yourself in some shady area."

"I said I'm fine."

"You stay there and I'll look for something we can use."

"Human nurse-san, one more of th-"

"Captain." Chiaki said, her voice was deadpan.

Kamui raised an elegant eyebrow.

"You're facing the wrong way, I'm on your right, not on your left."

Kamui lay quiet for a few seconds.

"I knew that." He said and faced to his right.

"No, you're now facing my feet, I'm at about thirty degrees." Chiaki said.

"Yes, thirty degrees." Kamui said staring at her now.

_He's obviously hallucinating.._

"Can you stand?" She asked him, Kamui looked at her with a slightly irritated expression and hauled himself to stand. The nurse led him to a corner of two structures that met and politely asked him to sit there. Kamui didn't complain. He put his hand near his belt, produced a green flask and greedily drank it dry, all in the time as Chiaki stood there in the sun, thirsty.

The nurse was in no mood for any dramatics. She twitched angrily and kicked a rock, her foot got injured.

"Ah, yes right. I'll be back in a few." She said to the Captain, sulking as she went to the direction they were heading and looked around to see if there was anything useful. She spotted a dried shrub and started hacking the spiny twigs that were useless to her. She weighted her foot down on the base of the shrub and yanked thicker wood from its root. She could use it as a weapon, fire wood or even as a splint if Kamui wanted. Either way, she was glad she found something.

The nurse stayed out of the sun and walked around the area where Kamui was, not forgetting to check on him every ten minutes or so, so he would not leave her behind. She was about to give up and turn back to 'the base', when she spied something black from a strange rock formation meters away from her. There was reddish brown substance that trailed from the top of the rocks to the bottom where the black bulk of something rested. Chiaki stood there dumbly for a minute then slowly approached the area.

The reddish brown trail was as she had thought, blood, and surprisingly the black object that caught her attention was a black garbed man. A black garbed dead Yato. The man's bald skull had a dent on it, along with a large hole that attracted flies. For a moment, she was afraid that she would recognize the man, but she didn't.

The nurse frowned, were Yato susceptible to falling off their space ships?

She had a nagging sensation that the man was somehow pushed by the Captain to die a horrible painful death.

It meant two things for her,

One is that for the Captain to survive the fall, he must be the Arnold Schwarzenegger equivalent of his race. Or maybe, is their king….. Chiaki shook her head, nah.

Second, is there was a possibility that they were going on the wrong direction. If Kamui pushed the poor man, then they were walking_ away_ from the terminal, if Yato had a habit of jumping off ships, then they were doing it right.

Chiaki pondered for a while and decided to loot the dead body of its possessions. She took the dead man's grey scarf, it was better to hide from the sun than a dark blazer, and his broken blue umbrella. She tried to open the umbrella, but it was useless, the rod that held the sun repelling properties of the object was intact, but the cloth that covered the sun was torn and bloodied. She wrapped the scarf into the top of the umbrella, covering the large holes. Then something clicked. If Kamui had a flask, there was a likely chance that this man had it too. She thought, it may be complementary to the uniform.

_But the flask was located somewhere near Kamui's crotch, in a secret pocket…. Nope, I don't want to accidentally touch this dead man's crotch._

But then the idea of acting like a looney that's _that _desperate for water –like the people she watched in survival series in TV– was unappealing. Especially around her Captain.

She bit her lip, avoided the disturbing image of the man's bashed up face and groped blindly.

Chiaki found a flask and was pleased to find it almost full. She opened the cover and sipped on its contents, then almost spat it out.

_Ughh, It's lukewarm iced tea._

She drank a little more and made her way to the corner where she left Kamui. She was pleased to find him still there.

She noted that the large shadow where she left him was slowly diminishing in size.

She looked up and found that the largest of the three suns was slowly coming to the topmost portion of the sky.

_Shitshitshit_

Chiaki handed Kamui the makeshift umbrella and forced him up. Kamui looked okay, he wasn't smiling, but when she tentatively touched his skin, it was cold and sweaty.

He wasn't talking either.

"Captain, we have to find somewhere shadier to stay for a while." She said, the umbrella was too small for the both of them. And now she could feel the heat burn her skin. It was irritatingly painful.

_He must feel sick as hell if he's not coming up with some anything to say._

Twenty minutes later, they found a medium sized cave, it went a bit underground. The entrance was steep, but not deep enough to fall into. She impatiently scanned the cave for creepy looking insects or burrows that might be filled with snakes before relaxing. The cave went deeper, but she only needed to avoid the sunlight, so she didn't venture in. Not that she was brave enough to. The place was dim, but the light from the entrance made it easy to see the rocks and crevices that dangerously scattered around. There was a creepy hole deeper inside, it went deep underground. It was a bit damp and occasionally blew cool air out to the surface. She avoided the hole.

"Captain?" She asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes?" _Good at least now you're responding, I was afraid I'd get trapped in here with a walking corpse._

"Did you by chance push a man off the balcony before we fell?"

"Why do you think I was in the balcony in the first place?" He said, giving her his creepy smile.

Somewhere in the dark messed up place in which is Chiaki's brain, she mentally hit her head against a wall, but she did it in reality too, so never mind.

"That means we were going at the wrong direction." She said. "The airport, I mean their terminal is that way." She pointed at the opposite way in which they were going.

Kamui was not amused.

"I got this from him." She took the flask and shook it a little, indicating that there was water, or iced tea in it. She grinned.

Kamui's eyes looked glassy as ever.

"Did you touch his crotch?" He asked, flicking a pebble into a random corner.

"…." Chiaki looked at him with a dead expression. "Yeah, a little bit." She said, then decided that it was the end of the awkward conversations.

The nurse divided the drink equally and checked the situation outside of the cave. The light was blinding, she took her hand out and immediately took it back in, the heat burned her skin.

"Try to conserve the water you have as much as you can." She told Kamui.

Chiaki walked around for a bit, poking the fissures of the cave with the wood she collected. After a while of boredom, she carved into a smooth portion of the cave the words, 'evil lair' and sulked for a bit. It was taking Abuto too long to rescue Kamui, and that meant staying longer in the shit hole. She took the scarf she used to repair the umbrella and tried to sleep a little. She felt somehow secure that a Yato was with her, even if he's not really that much into team work. She still didn't trust him fully, so she took a far corner and slept.

Well, more of closed her eyes for an hour.

Kamui's stomach was _noisy._ The first growl, that indicated he was hungry, vibrated through the entire cave system that Chiaki thought it was some kind of alien desert worm that was off to kill them both. Every ten minutes, his stomach would complain. Every ten minutes, she would wake up.

Chiaki irritatingly woke up and went outside of the cave; the sun was still too strong.

She couldn't find food even if she wanted to, if there was anything edible outside. The Captain would just have to suck it up and rely on his stomach lining for nutrition. She was feeling a little hungry too.

"Captain, show me your leg please, I need to check it." She asked for the second time that day.

Kamui looked at her with mild irritation and refused.

"With regard to healing the sick, I will devise and order for them the best diet, according to my judgment and means; and I will take care that they suffer no hurt or damage." She stopped for effect. "That's the dumbass Hippocratic oath I am supposed to say a week after you and Abuto abducted me from the clinic. I'm a graduating student, I was about to graduate" Chiaki let out a shaky breath. She was the youngest in her class, she was supposed to finish and create a life of her own, not this. Not _this._

She pursed her lips, "I already feel useless, so can I just check your freaking leg so at least I am assured that there is no open wound, and you're not dying in pain as I speak!" She didn't say it angrily, it was spoken softly. Kamui didn't respond, and she felt like a frustrated idiot as the seconds tick by.

"I am alright, no." He insisted.

"The last time you said you were alright, you were hallucinating from the heat. I saw you avoiding putting much weight on your leg when we went here, just let me put a splint on it." She frowned.

Whether the Captain was irritated that she saw right through him, or her persistence peeved him. She didn't know.

"If you don't shut your fucking mouth, I will kill you." Kamui said.

Chiaki felt her skin crawl. His threat felt genuine but his actions earlier on saving her contradicted to what he was saying.

His statement infuriated her.

"Why did you take me from earth then?" She whispered and sat on the dirty ground. "If you're not going to let me do my job in the first place" she bit her lip her lip in annoyance.

"And it's not that I'm going to tell anyone. That's what friends do right?" She they both stared at each other.

Kamui's eyes were filled with mirth, and not the good kind.

"Is that what you thought?" He commented, his lips drew a smirk. "That we would become anything as close as friends?"

Chiaki's eyes widened. _Uh oh _she thought, she hadn't meant to say the last part of her sentence. It was just a habit she had caught from the doctor she worked with. She was about to deny when the full force of his words hit her.

"If you think that I would think of you as the opposite of pathetic and aggravating? Then you're not just weak, but an idiot too." He looked at his nails and flicked the dirt that gathered on its ends.

He scoffed and stared at her numbly.

"I have no use for weaklings."

For a moment, Chiaki could do nothing but stare at him. She felt a familiar stinging sensation in her eyes, she felt tears pool at their edges. Then it was white hot rage. Her throat was dry and she felt the words hit her hard.

Kamui laid back cooly, they were all the same, he thought. She reminded him of her sister, Kagura, who cried at everything, it was pitiable. Kamui never cried, and he never will.

He was taken out of his stupor when the ground connected with her fist. Her hand hurt more than she would have liked. She snarled at him, for a moment, she looked dangerous.

"Then why the _fuck _did you take me away from Earth!" She repeated. She felt her tears slide down her chin. She rubbed them away stubbornly.

_Go rot in a hole._

She must have said it loudly, because Kamui's eyes hardened.

"Then you're fired."

Chiaki wanted to punch him, she wanted to kick him where the sun doesn't shine, she wanted to run and go home, but she couldn't. She instead walked deeper into the cave, away from his sight. She didn't want him to see her sulking, she didn't want to see his mug anyways.

She frowned and wiped her remaining tears away.

She had been called lots of names, but it was her first to be called, stupid, pathetic and a weakling in one solid minute.

She took a pebble and angrily threw it into the aforementioned hole that went underground. It echoed from hitting the walls and landed with a fleshy thump.

Ten minutes later she knew it was a stupid idea that she stormed off. Her hand hurt badly and the darker part of the cave creeped her out. She wasn't angry anymore, she didn't like to be a constantly pissed off teenager, optimism did wonders to the health.

She just needed to convince herself that the man probably had a shitty childhood that led him to be a grade A prick.

Chiaki sighted, took another rock and threw it again on the hole.

It fell into a fleshier thump.

Chiaki frowned, something was off. She wasn't scared, right?

_I'm not scared, I'm not scared…._

And then a voice echoed out from the cave: "Eh, another rock, I must be hallucinating from the heat, aha-ha-ha-ha-ha"

The nurse squealed and ran to the mouth of the cave, screaming and flailing in panic. She tripped and fell embarrassingly elbows first in Kamui's feet. He stood up when he heard her screaming.

"There's something in the hole!" She shifted uncontrollably, her heart was beating wildly, it was embarrassing.

Kamui walked deeper into the cave and peered into the dark entrance. He squinted and leant closer.

"Hello?" the captain said.

"Eh? Is someone here other than me? Hello to you too! Are you lost like I am?" Came a cheery voice from inside the cave. There was silence as Kamui resisted the urge to punch himself, the day was getting crappier and crappier. When he didn't answer the voice grumbled and said, "It must be my imagination aha-ha-ha-ha."

"We're lost like you are!" Chiaki said from above. Kamui glared at her.

"…. That's cool, aha-ha-ha-ha, so, can you help me out of here?"

"But even if we want to help you, which we don't, we don't have anything to pull you out of there, that hole is seriously deep, I can't even see what you look like, so please just die there." Kamui said, smiling.

Chiaki punched him in the arm, but he didn't feel anything.

The man in the hole quieted down, seconds seemed to tick by the, "I have a 2 liter Pocari with me."

Chiaki was about to say something when Kamui gripped a rock and broke it into pieces.

"Where's your proof if we can't see you." He said, he sounded desperate. Chiaki shut her mouth.

She whispered, "Captain, you still have about 300ml of juice with you right?" Kamui stared at her with bloodshot eyes. _You drank it all! Didn't you!_

"Aha-ha! I have a lighter!" There were sounds of struggling, then the man flicked the lighter open. He was a tall man, shaggy brown hair, wore a ridiculous pair of round sunglasses, and wore a dark red coat.

"I'm Sakamoto Tatsuma! What's your name?"

Chiaki face palmed, the ridiculously deep hole was nothing more than a few feet deep, if you really tried hard enough, you could have climbed out of it. The man looked like an idiot. Her senses were tingling.

"Okay, my slave will help you up if you throw me your Pocari first, understand?" Kamui said.

_How desperate are you for water? And what do you mean slave?_

Sakamoto was an idiot.

"Okay!" He said and threw the Pocari at Kamui. The man must be incompetent as hell, because the bottle bounced off meters from the mouth of the hole, spun in the air and flopped back to his face, his glasses broke from the contact and the bottle dropped down a sharp rock, it split in half from the force and the precious Pocari leaked and got absorbed by the dirt ground.

A large brown snake slithered from a random hole and ate the plastic that held the few precious drops that it held.

_"I _must be hallucinating, there is little evidence that sheer idiocy like this would have existed in the first place." The nurse said in monotone. She turned around and cooly walked away.

"Wait! Miss! I-I have bread!" Sakamoto held out a French baguette.

"STOP BRIBING ME WITH FOOD! And where did you hide that baguette in the first place!" _Yep, I'm obviously losing my mind._ "Captain, are you actually seeing this?" She asked numbly.

"Tie the baguette in my scarf and I'll pull it out when you say yes okay?" Kamui said, still kneeling on top of the hole.

_Pirate!_

"Okay!" Sakamoto chirped from the bottom of the shallow hole. Chiaki fought the urge to hop inside the ditch and start beating him until sense comes out.

She watched from the sidelines as the Captain bent down and pulled the scarf up.

Sakamoto popped up from the hole, his hand was tied in the scarf.

"Oops, I accidentally tied my hand instead."

"Where is the bread?" Kamui asked.

There was silence, Sakamoto was hanging from the mouth of the hole, his two hands supporting him up, he took his lighter and lit the space where he stood. The bread was sitting on the dirt floor, minding its own business, when the same fucking snake from earlier slid and swallowed it whole.

"Aha-ha-ha-ha, that snake looks really hungry!"

Kamui kicked Sakamoto in the face; he rolled back and fell face first on the dirt ground.

"Go die."

The Captain took the makeshift umbrella and started shoving dirt into the hole, clearly wanting to bury the man alive.

Sakamoto popped out from the hole again, he jumped and hung himself up.

"I have wasabi!"

He pocketed his right hand and took a tube of bright green wasabi.

Kamui, still crouched in front of him, took the tube of spiciness and poured it all to the man's head.

It was a weird sight, Kamui was deathly serious while the human was saying, aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha really loudly.

_"Wait a second" _Chiaki thought, that man was human!

Once Kamui was satisfied with the hellish torture he did with wasabi, Chiaki went to help the man. She was initially fearful to interrupt while the Captain was busy, she felt like she was going to be the next victim if she did. Minutes later, she helped Sakamoto out of the pit. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was muttering something incoherent, loudly, about how he will never approach a wasabi tube ever again. She led Sakamoto near the entrance of the cave. He said he wasn't thirsty, and wasn't hungry either. So it was all good. She eyed Kamui who was sulking by the corner.

"I'm Chiaki." She said shaking the tall man's arm.

"And who is your boyfriend over there?" He pointed at Kamui. The Captain smiled and faced her, he smiled eerily. Chiaki shivered.

"He's not my boyfriend….. Just call him 'Captain'." She figured it might be a bad idea to say his name. Kamui might be, no_ is_ a wanted man, judging by his position in the Harusame, it might cause trouble to spread his name around.

"Ah! I see, Ahaha, so, nice to meet you again, I am Sakamoto Tatsuma, Chiaki-san, Wasabi-san."

_You're gonna get yourself killed!_

"Captain, give me your flask please." Chiaki said. She refilled his empty bottle the one fourth of what she had. This time, she made sure to make it clear that he shouldn't finish the drink in one go. Even as he drank, she reminded him. She knew that she was being unfair to herself by giving him another share of her drink, but she wanted to _better_ than him in some way. It was impossible for her to beat him in strength, but the idea of her besting him in personality made her feel a little better about the situation.

"Well! Let's begin to introduce ourselves! Aha-ha-ha-ha!" Sakamoto gave a thumbs up and smiled wide. "I want to know your likes and dislikes, your dreams in the future and things like that." He continued.

Chiaki pursed her lips, what he said sounded suspiciously familiar, like it came from an anime, came from Naruto.

"Hey! Don't start quoting things from other anime!"

"Okay, since the both of you are shy, my name is Sakamoto Tatsuma! I like ships! What I dislike is…" he shivered and paled, "is wasabi…" he bent down and clutched his stomach in pain, my dream! I have a dream, a dream of a day where amanto and people from earth can walk together in peace." He bowed down and smiled.

Kamui threw a rock at him. The rock whizzed through the air and scraped of the skin of Sakamoto's scalp. He started laughing and blood oozed from the wound to his face.

"My name is, Wasabi Captain." Kamui said. "I like fighting strong people, I dislike crybabies, weak people, killing women and children, and every time Abuto nags my ear off about not getting laid for months. My dream… I can't really call it a dream, but my ambition is… to kill certain men."

_You're totally ripping off that emo character in Naruto! Your name isn't Wasabi dammit!_

"Good job!" Sakamoto gave him a thumbs up.

"You're turn, human nurse-san."

"My name is Chiaki Sugiyama, I like coffee, reading, and my cat, orange-san, though, he's probably died of starvation, I don't like armpit stains of white clothes, really bulky men are disgusting, I also don't like to study medicine.….. My dream is to live until thirty five, thirty five sounds like a good age to die; I don't want to experience all that midlife crisis."

"My introduction was way cooler than yours." Kamui said.

Chiaki pretended to be in front of a really neat desk then flipped it off to his direction. She went to Sakamoto to inspect his injuries when he brightened up and said.

"I almost forgot! I absolutely love this panic button Mutsu put in my vest in case I fall off my ship, land in a particularly dark hole and get lost in a dead planet alone with no provisions at all, so she can find me and rescue me! aha-ha-ha."

"DID YOU PRESS THE BUTTON?"

"Well."

"Press it! JESUS!"

Sakamoto pressed the button.

"Eh, nothing happened." He said, pressing it again and again.

Then, there was painfully hot gust of wind that blew out from the mouth of the cave; there was a sharp sound of a plane, or a ship land and Chiaki could hear the sound of men speak in loud voices.

She took a glance at Kamui and wasn't surprised when his idiotic smile was still plastered to his face like it was his default feature.

"Mutsu!" Sakamoto yelled and ran to a stoic woman with a sedge hat. The man had a river of tears flowing from his eyes.

Mutsu kicked him in the face and dragged him up by the hair. "We've been waiting for you to push that button, for three days now!" She scolded him. He laughed awkwardly and reached up to hug her. To Chiaki's surprise, Mutsu stomped at his face.

"A warm welcome as always Mutsu!" Sakamoto said, his face bleeding red.

"These are my companions of this soul changing adventure, Sugiyama-san and Wasabi-san."

"It's just Chiaki." She said grinning awkwardly.

Mutsu discerned them both with slight concern, she started at Kamui for the longest time. "The ship is much more comfortable than this cave, don't you think" She gave them a small smile and dragged a Sakamoto by the ear.

* * *

"More please." Kamui pushed his industrial sized bowl of rice in front of him. Sakamoto's crewmen gaped in shock. It was the fourteenth bowl and Kamui was still asking for another one. He drank two drums worth of drinking water when he first took a step into the ship. Chiaki all but drank four full glasses before she felt like puking. A man in a chef's uniform dumped freshly cooked rice into his bowl and Kamui happily dug in. He looked at Chiaki her smaller bowl, indicating if she wanted more, she shook her head.

"So, what are you two, lovebirds, doing down there in the first place?" Sakamoto asked.

"Uhh…" _How do you say, "We accidentally fell off a pirate ship." Without sounding weird._

"We accidentally fell off pirate ship." Kamui said between bites.

"Wait for the rice to cool before you eat!" Chiaki said. The rice was steaming hot, but Kamui must have asbestos mouth because he completely ignored her and munched faster.

"You escaped from pirates I see." Sakamoto rubbed his chin. "Are you sure you don't need our help?"

"No, this is too much help in the first place, you see." Chiaki gave him a smile. "We just need to reach the nearest city, the one with the Terminal, and everything will be okay."

He seemed to consider what she said. "Alright! Never forget me!" He said. He gave her a calling card and barked a few orders to his men whom saluted and ran around like a pack of animals.

Chiaki watched in awe. It was still hard to believe that he was the Captain of the ship.

The entire ride was uneventful, it was barely half an hour's travel of Sakamoto happily describing his business relations in which she tried to listen politely to. She found it interesting, but Kamui was walking behind them, eyeing the humans. She was nervous that he will start a random murderous rampage.

When it was time to leave, Sakamoto cried and hugged both of their torsos. Crying that he might not see them again and their adventure was very life changing. His vice-captain, Mutsu, stood behind him. She gave them a nod, and after a few minutes, she dragged a sobbing Sakamoto back and their ship flew off. His idiotic laughter echoed in the wind.

Chiaki felt like crying herself.

Back in Sakamoto's ship, Mutsu hit him in the head angrily.

"You idiot!" She said. "That was Kamui! Leader of the seventh division of the Harusame, I don't care what negotiations you did-"

"Eh, I didn't know." Sakamoto said rubbing his sore head.

"I only invited them because you begged me!"

"Well, he did try to bury me alive, aha-ha-ha-ha-ha"

Mutsu sighed and smacked him another good one.

"Just, be more careful next time."

"Hai!"

She rolled her eyes, _yeah right._

* * *

The Terminal was more of a harbor, ships lined up beside each other on water that was in oily brown in comparison to the earth's oceans. It smelled like rain on dry pavement, it was still hot but manageable. There were structures like housing built crammed on hills and busy merchants parading with their cargoes.

It felt better than being in the middle of nowhere.

"Here." She said, giving Kamui a sedge hat. "I asked Mutsu-san if she had more of her hats, since you left your umbrella back in the ship." She smiled.

Kamui took the grass hat and shoved it on top of Chiaki's head. "I don't need it." He said.

"Don't give me that crap! You were hallucinating from the heat hours ago! Fired or not, I'm still an _almost_ nurse, and I have to try help people as much as possible." She lifted the hat from her head and was about to give it to Kamui when he stubbornly secured it into her head. He honestly didn't remember telling her that she was fired. His grin faltered. Chiaki stared at him incredulously.

"…Why aren't you smiling? What's with that face?" She asked, hands still holding the rim of the hat.

"The ship's right there, stupid." Kamui said, but he was smiling again. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her behind. She felt a little off balance and wobbled, still clutching on the sun hat. The Harusame ship was very impressive, pirate ship or not. It stood bigger than most ships; it was grander and stronger than the rest.

"Oh." Her face brightened up. There was a truce.

"Captain?" Whatever moment of peace Chiaki felt at that moment was shattered. Standing behind the both of them was none other than Abuto, gaping like a fish out of water. His skin was flushed from the sun; he balanced an umbrella with his shoulder and held a brown chicken at his remaining arm, looking like a ruffian more than ever, even with the clucking hen.

Kamui was not happy.

"Ch-Chiaki!" He paled when he saw her. He had not considered her surviving, he was ashamed.

Chiaki was not amused at all.

"Abuto." Kamui said dangerously low, "you're late, _again_" _I could have embarrassed myself further you bastard._

Abuto huffed. "I would have gotten the both of you really early if you didn't walk around!" he accused his Captain. "I told you the last time that you fell off the balcony to stay put!" The hen flapped its wings in panic. Abuto was moving around too fast.

"No, you told me to go to the nearest terminal" _You piece of shit; I should have killed you back in Yoshiwara! _He thought.

Chiaki raised her eyebrow from the background. So it did happen more than once, and right when she was going to apologize for putting them in such a hopeless situation in the first place. It turned out that she really didn't have to.

"No, I told you –wait really?" Abuto mused.

That's why Kamui swiped at his feet. Abuto fell heavily on the floor, he let go of the items he was holding –the hen ran away, but Chiaki caught it.

Kamui was delighted.

The sadist grabbed a hold of Abuto's foot and threw him at the polluted sea.

Chiaki could hear Abuto screech and swim to shore. Screaming gross and ewww as the murky waters soaked him. He climbed up the wooden walkways and Kamui kicked him again to drown. Abuto cursed and angrily swam to a distance where Kamui can't get him.

The nurse shook her head in disapproval and wished that she could have kicked him a little too, when she had a chance, but there were pressing matters to be discussed.

"Captain, I believe this is goodbye then." She said, handing him the hen.

"What are you talking about."

"You fired me, remember…. I think I have enough cash from the monthly salaries I have received from Abuto-san to go home from earth. I'll collect my belongings and leave now.."

"How much do you have?" He said, crossing his arms.

"One fourth of a million" She said.

"That's not enough." Kamui commented.

"It just has to do." She said, _I'm not asking for a loan, I know how you freaking pirates work…_

"I'll drop you off the next time we visit Earth."

"But–"

"That's _final_ Chiaki" Kamui smacked her in the head and made a gesture to follow him back to the ship, still holding the hen.

"Uhhh, okay… yes, thanks," She rubbed the spot and followed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Aiko's Office:**

"Chi-a-ki-chaannnn~3" Aiko wriggled his body, his muscles bulged dangerously from the tight fitting outfit he wore. He pulled the measuring tape from her waist and frowned. "You've gotten thinner." He said, rubbing his chin.

"The clothes I got for you might not fit as much as I wanted them too."

Chiaki brightened up instantly.

"You got clothes for me?" She repeated, trying hard no to smile as much as she was smiling at that moment. This was something, she thought. She had been wearing the same outfit every day, switching only when it becomes dirty to another similar looking outfit. Too many nights have she locked herself in her small bathroom, wearing nothing but her undergarments, waiting patiently for her clothes to dry.

"Of course dear, but Abuto tore the earlier ones I made, he said they, and I quote, 'look like shit.'" He frowned miserably. It was strange to see a bigger and buffer man like Aiko, compared to Abuto, sulk at something Abuto had said. Chiaki gave a hesitant smile and patted the back of the muscled man. "I'm sure Abuto-san just doesn't have the same taste as you do."

"But of course." Aiko wiped a few tears coming from his eyes.

Shivers spiraled down Chiaki's back. It was hard to not like Aiko, he was likeable to her. He was kinder than all of the Yato she had met, but sometimes, he unnerved her.

Aiko bent down and opened a chest from his left. He pulled out several articles of clothing. Chiaki was glad to see that they were mostly plain and not as flashy as she originally imagined they would be. There were mostly white, the others were closely neon, some had ruffles. She ended up trying to balance a pile in her arms.

"Oh, and here." Aiko said, taking the pile from her arms. He laid out a lab coat; it was thicker than ones Chiaki had used in her laboratory classes. "I want you to wear this every day!" He crooned, giving her three pairs. "It's a lab coat." She said, touching the soft fabric.

"Yes! So ever body will know that you are the sciencey type."

"But, I'm a nurse, not a scientist."

"Nonsense!" Aiko blew her a gay kiss that she failed to dodge. "It will look great, plus it's warmer."

Chiaki dropped the coat and embraced the okama in a crushing hug

**Harusame Canteen/Dining hall:**

_Ugghhh, this bread looks staler than ever. _Chiaki thought as she pulled out a croissant.

There was a slight buzzing sound from the bread basket.

Chiaki scrunched her eyebrows in curiosity as she moved aside another croissant. There were insect legs from under the bread, scurrying in a rush. The head of a large beetle, nay, a cockroach popped up and flew above the nurse's head. Normally, she would have screamed, but the lack of energy and constant surprises she had on the ship morphed her fear of cockroaches into nothing more than a lump of indifference.

The roach flew in random directions before settling on Abuto's ass, buzzing like a fly as the owner of the said ass laughed at a random joke of his colleagues, then jumping to punch his colleague because the joke was about having a one arm.

Nobody noticed it, aside from the nurse, but when Abuto finally sat on his chair. The cockroach got squished. She shivered involuntarily as the sound of exoskeleton crushing on the weight of the Vice Captain echoed in her mind.

"Oh, damn! I forgot my diet cola." Abuto stood up and went to the direction of the freezers when someone from behind him let out a lady like scream.

He turned around and followed the screaming man's accusing finger, pointing at his butt. He himself jumped in shock as a mosaic or a brown censor was stuck in between his butt cheeks.

Chiaki face palmed and tried to walk subtly out of the room.

Abuto flipped the bird on those who baselessly accused him of carelessly staining his pants while he was doing his business, not wiping, or the worst, accidentally taking a shat in public. A brown mosaic could be anything! Abuto said to all, nobody believed him. The Vice Captain angrily flicked the dead roach away from his butt. Unfortunately, his aim, due to panic, was very much terrible. The roach flew at a random crew man's mashed potatoes, who in a fit of horror swiped the plate of food. The plate of potatoes, which was surprisingly steaming hot slammed into Aiko's face, ruining his hours' worth of beautifying effort. Aiko crashed into Kamui's dining place, -which he liked not littered with comrades KO'd with hot food-.

Kamui paused eating. The dining hall was hauntingly silent. He blinked, and blinked again. Because Aiko's face was too close for his comfort.

The Captain of the Harusame kicked the table. It flipped, wasting a ton load of food.

Lunch was over.

Apparently, Kamui's crew was so murder deprived that any source of chaos that they instantly used it as a reason to tear each other's limbs off. One by one Kamui's men attacked each other and fought. Chaos ensued.

Chiaki squealed as she dodged a flying body that crashed into a table beside her. She wasn't able to leave in time. She hopped over a severed arm, stole, or took two oranges from a wicker basket, before the entire table that held the oranges was reduced to splinters. Yato, while fighting didn't bother with the weak, she found out. She was practically invisible to them; it was partly good and bad, good because nobody pursued her, bad because stray knives, umbrellas, flying bodies were a pain to evade.

She was innocent, she knew she was. She tried to convince herself that the entire event was not her doing.

So when Kamui and Abuto cornered her, the former pissed that his lunch was disturbed, the latter just finding someone to blame…. Well both of them just wanted someone to blame for the mess, Kamui blamed Abuto who pointed at Chiaki.

She said, "I'm innocent" and handed them the oranges.

**Kamui's Office/ Den of Pain and Torture:**

"_Yeah, never mind…"_ Chiaki grimaced, she found Umibozu's letter on the pocket of her shirt when she wanted to wash it earlier that day. The letter that Kamui had purposefully thrown in the balcony was still with her, and she didn't know what to do with it. She thought of leaving it in his office while he was away, but she felt like he would know that it came from her, if she did so.

She frowned and fingered the edge of the envelope. She had no choice, she thought that her best option would be was to hide it with her, until the time comes that she would have figured out a plan to hand it to him, or to sneak it to him without him noticing. She didn't want to find the perfect moment while the letter was in her closet back on the clinic. It would be uncool.

Plus, Kamui looked strangely pleased that day. His feet was up, scratching his oak desk –it irked Chiaki, she would have to clean that later on– and his face was covered by a magazine with a scantily clad dark haired woman. She figured it was a bad thing to part a man from his…amusement.

Abuto also looked constipated. She asked him earlier if he wanted pills to fix his bowels, but he flipped her the bird and stormed off angrily. Now he still looked like a stuffed bird, tapping a finger at his own desk –which looked a hundred times better than her ugly one– carving an image of a, stuffed bird into it.

_I'm not gonna polish that…_ Chiaki thought, writing the last detail of a pay slip.

"_FUCK it!"_ Abuto said and headed to Chiaki. Her eyes widened in fear, in a rush of adrenaline, she kicked her chair out of the way, in case she needed space. Took her knife from her lab coat (an interesting add on Aiko had so kindly gave) and positioned on a defensive stance.

"What are you doing?" Abuto asked, halfway through, he was confused.

Chiaki blushed in embarrassment. "You're not going to attack?" She said.

"No, why would I attack you?" He crossed his arms, only to realize that he only had one arm. He grumbled in irritation.

"Sorry." She spun the knife on her right hand, aiming it to shoot down her pocket, only for it to fall down the floor in a clatter. "Sorry again" she said much to her chagrin. She picked it up from the floor only to find out that both of the Yato who was with her in the room was staring at her with slight amusement in their eyes, even Kamui, who was raising an eyebrow. Her lower lip trembled.

"What do you want" she said softly, albeit impatiently to the dirty blonde.

"Can… can you read this?" He said, handing a worn out letter to Chiaki. The letter must have been blue in color ages ago, now it was partly yellow, and damp. She opened the letter and scanned it.

"Are you sure you want me to read this?" She asked.

"Read it." Kamui said, sitting neatly on her pile of paperwork, his magazine abandoned in his table. He used her table as a sitting apparatus. Chiaki blinked, and then blinked again, twice, because Kamui's face was too close for her comfort. Even after she yelped and toppled to the floor from her chair, she could still feel her face heating up.

_Yes, it must be from utter disgust, his face looks gross right?_

Chiaki shook her head and settled on the floor.

"Dear Abuto….chan…." She paused.

Kamui chocked on thin air. He was hitting his chest with his fist, coughing loudly a few seconds later. She looked at Abuto who was beet red, he was mumbling like an idiot to his very amused captain.

"This is mama.." She felt a familiar sense of homesickness, but stomped it down. Now was not her time, she thought, it was the Vice Captain's.

"How are you son? I miss you very much. You haven't been writing to me ever since you joined that merchant group. Mama wants to say that you don't need to leave anymore to work. The hospital bills are no more. I'm fine, I'm already okay. Your mother is perfectly healthy now, thanks to you."

Chiaki swallowed, the both of them were quiet.

"I want to tell you that I miss cooking for you, are you eating well there? I don't know. I_ want _to know. I hope you're not doing that ridiculous fitness regime young folks do around here. I hope you still eat your vegetables, but I believe you do. You don't have to send most of your salary anymore, if you don't want to stop working. I know it's your dream to leave the planet. But please, son, visit sometimes, it can get awfully lonely without you talking my ear off, I miss the old days, Abuto-chan." Kamui choked again, but not as hard as earlier. "I remembered, when you were a wee baby-"

"STOP READING!" Abuto forced the paper down to the table.

"No. Human nurse-san, keep reading." Kamui said, his chin was propped on his arm.

"Well.."

"I'm the Captain,_ he_, is the Vice Captain. Listen to me."

They were both glaring at her.

"Well…." Seconds seemed to tick by. Chiaki was in a dilemma.

"Sorry Abuto-san, the Captain is right, he is the Captain. Plus I think death by his hands will be much more painful than to be murdered by you…. I'd rather not have the both of your faces as my last sight before I die though. It will be the misfortune of all misfortunes."

She continued reading. "You were such a cute baby then…."

Chiaki shut her mouth. She covered her reddening face with the letter and failed to resist laughing. They could hear her increasing guffaws from behind the paper.

"What? _WHAT?_" Kamui said, eyes wide open with curiosity. He scooted closer to her to see what the laughter was about. She quickly pressed the letter to her chest, not showing him the contents. There were tears threatening to leak from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, there are baby pictures pasted in the letter, I can't believe I didn't look at them first."

"GIVE IT TO ME!" Abuto hollered, diving for the letter. Chiaki was about to hand him the letter when Kamui's foot collided with Abuto's face.

"Give it." Kamui ordered, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Sorry, Captain, the pictures are kind of embarrassing, I don't think Abuto-san will appreciate me showing it to you."

Abuto secretly rejoiced.

"Don't let me pry them off your cold dead hands, human nurse-san." Kamui said.

She instantly handed him the letter.

Kamui stared at the pictures. His upper lip twitched, he let out a crazy smile and ripped the pictures off and hid it in his pocket. It was for future blackmail purposes, the bastard.

Chiaki almost felt sorry for Abuto, but he smacked her in the head for giving in so easily, so everything was back to neutral.

"Okay, we are approaching the end of the letter." She said.

"You have to remember Abuto, -she didn't read the '-chan' part anymore- you are always my favorite son. Out of all the others, you are the only one whom I can say, still loves me more than I do to you. Again, please visit your old mama. I love you, son."

"From… Uhh I can't read the name, it's in Yato. Sorry. But it's from your mom" Chiaki said.

"Oh, and P.S. If you bring that rude orange haired boss of yours again, I'll cook more casserole."

"That's the end of it." She handed the letter back to the Vice Captain, who snatched it and stuffed it in his lapel.

The both of them looked at Kamui expectantly, he was still wearing his closed eyed shit eating grin, but something was off, his antenna, was moving side to side, bouncing and twitching.

Chiaki gulped and found herself entranced; she hadn't really noticed that part of him before. She wanted to touch it, but she would be stupid to try, unless she wanted to lose an arm for it.

"Nah" Kamui said.

"But why?" Chiaki said softly, the letter was heartwarming for her.

"We already visited that shitty planet two years ago." He said, unamused.

Abuto was silent. Chiaki figured that maybe her convincing skills might persuade Kamui-sama of stoneful heart.

"Actually." The nurse cleared her throat. Kamui stared at her, arms crossed; he was challenging her to say something. She hoped that their little adventure down that dead planet will allow her some leeway in terms of talking to the Captain. "There had been a running petition entitled, 'We Want To Go Home, For A Week, Or Even Only Three Days' their spelling was a bit off, but they already have more than four hundred signatures." She said on a diplomatic tone, or tried to be diplomatic as much as possible. It was hard to concentrate when Abuto was signaling, 'no' and 'shut up' with one arm, it looked absolutely ridiculous.

"Did you sign?" Kamui said, blue eyes boring into her soul.

"They did threaten to disembowel me, so I did." She said sheepishly.

Kamui went to his chair and sat, thinking about the matter.

"I also need a new arm." Abuto mused. "Well, a _lot_ of us need new limbs, did you see Sato? He was missing an arm and a foot, we can only get that in our planet. It's only a day's travel anyway."

Judging by Abuto's irritated look, he wasn't finished talking yet when Aiko slammed the door open. He was distraught.

"Captain!" Aiko's voice was higher than usual. He was pouting. "There's a rebellion going on! On the third floor balcony" he said.

Kamui, eyes calm, stood up the ends of his uniform coat flapped cooly in the wind. Something Chiaki admired. There wasn't even wind in the office, and yet he marched so epically, including Abuto who walked beside him. _Damn, that's badass_. It almost felt like they were in a movie.

"Are you coming?" Kamui's head popped from the edge of the door.

Chiaki raised an eyebrow. They normally left her alone. She followed.

The nurse felt a bit dismayed. It felt like a punishment from the gods. The three of them, high ranking officials, walking in front of her, walked mint fresh, pristine and perfect in their serious movements towards the balcony. She tripped over her own foot once, stubbed her toe on inconspicuous iron flooring that jutted out from its proper position twice and stepped on her own lab gown while climbing up from a rather embarrassing fall.

She followed them and saw the balcony's door.

_Third floor balcony, we meet again you son of a-_

Aiko pressed a rather large button with her right hand. The door made a sound and unlocked. Strange, Chiaki thought, she remembered pushing the door open with her hands, they must have made improvements.

The noise was deafening. Kamui and the other three stood on top of a staircase, below it was the fateful balcony where she fell with the Captain, the space was filled with rebelling Yato, they had posters and signs filled with mismatched drawings and demands that they wanted to go home even for a small time.

_Strange timing_ Chiaki thought, rubbing her chin.

A purple haired younger Yato, with a braid and the usual uniform stood defiantly in front of the Captain. He was young and inexperienced, the kind of bastard that would strike mutinies and would sue owners for maltreatment, the same kind of annoying type of lads you watch in horror films that's too noisy and ultimately kill everyone. He was doing this for his fellow clansmen though; he tried to convince himself, for the greater good.

He bowed down elegantly to his smiling Captain.

"KAMUI-SAMA KAMUI-SAMA KAMUI-SAMA" His crew chanted it like a mantra.

Kamui silenced it with a hand gesture.

Purple hair looked up from his bowing position. "Captain" he said, voice, serious, intention diplomatic.

"With all due respect sir, we, your men-" Kamui wasn't listening, he crouched and swiped his foot at the bowing man, the man's body flew off the staircase, down the balcony where it landed in a painful thud. There was a dent in the floor.

"Starting a coup d'état eh?" Kamui smiled dangerously.

The body groaned and rolled over to the side. His face was bleeding. The rest of the crew was silent. You could hear an umbrella drop.

"No, Captain, we just have a request tha-"

Kamui jumped from the staircase and landed into the leader's stomach. Blood spurted out from his mouth. Chiaki held down a gasp.

"Don't worry, he'll live, they always do." Abuto muttered, he positioned himself ready to jump down and assist his Captain in case things got too wild.

"Captain!" Kamui stomped on the impudent fool's skull, crushing it with his foot. The man gasped and held Kamui's foot, trying to ease the pressure.

Aiko and Abuto's constant reminder that the poor man will live was the only thing stopping Chiaki from screaming to the Captain to stop. She didn't know how the Yato ruled. Chiaki stopped shaking_, eh_, she thought, if she screamed stop, Kamui might twist into her direction and start shooting her to death for interrupting.

"Kamui-sama!" A man from the rallying group said out loud. The Captain took it as a cue, he bent down a little then spiraled to the group, with his umbrella leading the destruction. Soon, all Chiaki could see was flying bodies and the blur of black and greys crashing to each other, occasionally there would be a body thrown upwards, aimed for the void of space. Only to be stopped by a seemingly invisible barrier that allowed the balcony to have gravity, sound and oxygen. She was alone too, as soon as the Captain charged, his loyal followers, Abuto and Aiko spun into action.

She rushed to the clinic, and took her medical box and supplies, it was on top speed.

She went back to balcony, items in hand, they were still fighting.

Then the fighting stopped, it must have took more than ten minutes. Beat up bodies were littered on the floor, teeth, hair, tattered clothing and limbs were scattered randomly.

Kamui sat on a dog pile of corpses, or unconscious people, grinning with satisfaction.

Abuto was standing somewhere, bloodied up, he smacked someone who moved.

Aiko was prancing around like a madman.

The Captain stood on top of the pile and announced, "I'll give you all five days, Aiko, change the course to our shit planet." He grinned.

Kamui was happy.

Abuto grinned as well and high fived Aiko who skipped inside.

Later, she one by one patched up very _happy _crew members, sewing their stumps and re positioned their bones –it took her four hours to finish everything–. She finished all her supplies, for the other less fortunate ones, she used their clothes for bandages and instructed them ways on how to prevent infection. They invited her in the celebration they will be holding that night, they finally called her nurse, instead of 'the captain's concubine' or 'that pink haired weirdo that steals food from the canteen' or even 'the one that delivers the mail to our rooms.'

It must be the lab gown.

After that she went to Kamui and curiously asked,

"Does this happen every time your crew wants to go somewhere?"

Kamui threw her his bloodied uniform; the stains will be difficult to remove.

He was in his office re-braiding his hair; he looked fresh, just out of the shower, while Chiaki could be mistaken as an urchin.

"What are you babbling about? I was super considerate this time." He tied an elastic to the end of his braid.

"Ah…. Got it." She gave him a thumbs up.

"Oh, and also, I want that uniform here in a few hours."

"Yes, Captain." She saluted and walked away. _I'm his maid now too? Great? Just great.._

* * *

**Planet of the Yato:**

The entire planet was smaller than earth. Its atmosphere was covered in thick fat clouds, suffocating the sky with its shadows. It was cold too, colder than the ship, and damp, the kind of damp that seemed to clog ones chest and hurt ones joints. It was awfully windy and quiet.

When the Harusame ships landed on the small ball of earth, Chiaki could see the excitement in her fellow colleagues' faces. She then remembered that she was fired. So, she saw the excitement in the faces of her kidnapper's goons. But colleagues sound better don't you think? Only when the Captain's presence was evident did the uproar of good mood and excitement wash down the drain. They wanted to show him that they were tough as nails, that the idea of seeing their children or their mommies was not manly enough to be considered exciting. Chiaki thought it was utter bull.

Even Abuto was in high spirits that day when he walked past her; he beamed and slapped a heavy hand down her back. She smiled back at him. When he left, she doubled over and vomited. His 'friendly pat' was unconsciously something more akin to 'the pat of death' it was strong enough to bring the contents of her stomach out.

Kamui was strangely tamed. She once poked her head in his office and asked if there was any paperwork she could do. He shooed her away via, sitting on his boss chair and waving his hand as an indication to get the hell off.

In the first two days, the ship was empty.

Chiaki was bored, she had no one to bug.

She tried giving the letter back to Kamui, the letter she knew that came from his father. Thanks to Abuto who was always an open mouthed fellow when it comes to the dirty secrets that involved his fine Captain. After having informed, she found keeping the letter a responsibility far too heavy for her. But she was a coward. She was content on memorizing the wax seal instead. It had the words Umibozu etched around it, and strangely, a face of an older man with a Hitler moustache, goggles and a leather cap covering his head. She found it a gross thing to use as a seal.

That afternoon, she snuck into the dining hall to eat a pineapple and sat at the back entrance of the ship.

She felt a little lonely, sitting on the cold metal floor, avoiding the drizzle; she picked up a wooden stick and engraved words on the damp ground.

She heard someone sneak behind her.

"What does that word say, the one above all the others?" Kamui asked politely.

"That one says, 'Yato'"

"How about that one? Beside Abuto's name."

"Oh.. it means… ugly."

"The one beside my name?"

"Super cool Captain." She didn't lie, she really wrote that just in case.

Kamui grinned, he was pleased.

"Can you cook?" he asked her, she turned to look at him and flinched in shock. He was wearing his usual garments, minus his Harusame Captain coat. There were bandages all over his face and body, his umbrella was perched on his shoulder.

"Is that where my missing bandages went to?" She pointed at his face.

Kamui smiled, "maybe." She squinted and scratched the word 'super' beside his name in the dirt. "I could have used that for other people's injuries you know! Your men may be dying right now from infection." She accused him.

The Captain snorted, "Let them die, there's too many of them anyway."

She gaped at him incredulously.

_At least he isn't threatening me…_ Chiaki thought.

"You haven't answered my question yet." He said watching her like a hawk.

"I can make good dumplings" She smiled at him and shrugged.

Kamui grabbed her by her left arm and heaved her up without warning. She stepped on her own foot and wobbled for balance. She shot him a glare for the sudden interruption.

"Follow me." He opened his umbrella and walked under the rain. Chiaki was left in the entrance with a confused expression. "Wait a second! I should get an umbrella too." The rain wasn't that strong, but she didn't want to get sick. When Kamui didn't give an indication of waiting for her, she muttered a curse and used her lab gown as a shield against the rain. She could only hope that the stormy clouds didn't indicate a heavier down pour.

She didn't expect the planet to be _that_ similar to her hometown. The buildings were closely built to each other, like cans stacked in a supermarket. The buildings were Chinese inspired, there were even Chinese traditional clothing hanging from under roofs to dry.

It was beautiful, except, Chiaki was in a sour mood.

It was freezing and her pants were soaking, there were grass stains and dirt on its ends. The rain was getting stronger too. What's more was there were people, or Yato who could see Kamui _whispered_ and pointed at him like he was some damn movie star or something –it was a miracle they knew who he was under all those bandages, if she was one of them, she would have screamed ghost and hid–. She was with him, so some of the fingers were directed at her. She didn't like it.

Her feet were wet, there was one time that she stepped on a giant earthworm, she screamed and ran forward.

It didn't help that he looked amused.

When the rain poured harder, Kamui took an umbrella from an umbrella rack in some person's house and gave it to her.

She beamed and forgot about the earthworms, which was bad, because when they arrived, the soles of her sandals had worm guts all over it.

She grimaced and tried to clean her shoes on a puddle while Kamui used a rusted key to open the lock of a small empty two story house. He quit after a few seconds and karate chopped it, the lock fell into the floor with a noisy clang. They walked for half an hour into an abandoned looking side of town before he finally found the house. She had asked him why was it that there was nobody around, and he responded with 'everybody who lived in this area died already.'

_Who are you and _"Where have you taken me"_ You damn bastard. _She secretly wanted to say this movie line for years already. It didn't matter that she said only half of it. All was well.

Kamui didn't answer her question. He removed the bandages of his face and muttered in a low voice. He most likely thought that she didn't hear him at all. But she did. In that brief moment where he looked down and said, "Mama, I'm home" and opened the door. Chiaki felt her heart crush into pieces. She was angry, how dare he, she was supposed to_ hate_ him. She was supposed to loathe the man for stealing away everything that she worked hard for.

Chiaki felt herself tremble.

Now she couldn't stay angry at him.

She cursed herself for having a soft heart and stayed in the rain.

_It probably wasn't his fault that he is a pirate!... Dammit it sounds wrong, ah fuck._

"Chiaki!" Kamui said from inside the house. She wiped her face in her sleeve and went inside.

She coughed and fanned the dust out of her face.

Kamui was crouched on the stove, he tried to open it, it didn't. He checked under the stove and followed the plastic tube that connected it to a gas tank. He fumbled with it then tried again, he opened the stove twice and finally, there was fire. He went to the cabinets and started searching for something edible.

She watched him patiently then resisted hitting her head on the opposite wall.

"Why did you bring me here?" She said.

"Well, Aiko isn't in the ship, so only his assistants cook my food…. It all tastes like shit." He opened a cupboard and frowned when he saw cracked bowls in it. "I'm tired of their bad cooking so I got you here to cook."

"Why didn't you just ask me to cook in the ship's kitchen?" She raised her hands in frustration. She had thought that this would be something emotional. But it turns out that Kamui was just being on his weird side.

"…." He stared at her as if she had said something life changing, but his Yato side would rather throw itself into a pit of fluffy teddies, rainbows and pink sugar cubes than show it.

"There is a market west of here." He shoved her a bag of coins, "get what you need, be back in an hour." Kamui pushed her out of the house, into the pouring rain. Chiaki grumbled and took her brown umbrella. She walked forward and stopped.

"Which way is west again?" She called out from outside.

Kamui opened a window and stared at her. "You're facing it."

* * *

The market was merely houses with higher economic capabilities. Outside each houses were open stalls with people purchasing things from eggs to bear traps. It should have been a breeze of a job if people didn't stare at her and grouped her with Kamui. There were some stalls that shunned her, asked her to leave when she approached, and there were others who wanted to sell their merchandise for free. She avoided them both, she had paranoia that the free items might be poisoned or something. Even if the planet rained nonstop, news spread faster than wild fire.

One particular moment when she was picking mushrooms the girl behind the stall smiled at her, it was the kind of dangerous smile she would have rather avoided, she had no choice though.

"Ola." She said putting down a particular mushroom.

"So, is he big?" She asked Chiaki, the nurse's eyes widened.

"Uhh… who is 'he'?" _Please mistake me for somebody else, please mistake me for somebody else, PLEASE_

"Umibozu's son, Komui" She said, leaning for information.

"It's Kamui-sama." Chiaki corrected her.

"_Oooh!_ So, he's into BDSM huh?" the lady's eyes glinted.

"Just the S part… I think." She couldn't imagine him submitting to anyone. Chiaki purchased the mushrooms and ran to the next stall.

She was delighted to find a stall that sold ready-made dough sheets for dumplings. The old man that managed the shop beamed at her. He happily muttered something about good genetics finally spreading out.

"Yeah…" She ignored all their assumptions that they were, living and making babies together. She denied it at the first few stalls, but she finally gave up, seeing that they weren't listening to her. "He's pretty tough. Ahhhaha." She said awkwardly.

"Like his father." The man groaned and stroked his beard thoughtfully.

She looked up at him with a curious face. The only thing she knew about Umibozu was the fact that he and Kamui despised each other, according to Abuto. She knew he was strong, if not, equally stronger than Kamui himself.

" –ripped off his arm really bad." The man said. Chiaki woke from her trance.

"Ripped his arm off?" She repeated.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Apparently the man had been talking about Kamui's father. "Kamui, when he was still under the King, went to his father to kill him, he only managed to tear the great Umibozu's arm off before the man almost killed his son. Kamui was spared, but the father avoided seeing the son after that."

She bit her lip.

"Oh no!" The old man wiped his hands with a white cloth; he put the dough in a plastic. "I don't know what race you are, dear, but we had a tradition long ago that sons should kill their fathers to surpass them. I'm glad they took it away, or I'd have to fight Shiro here when he gets older." He laughed and patted his son's head, who was no more than three years old.

She thanked the man and headed back to Kamui's house. Their stories lingered in her head like pests. Her load seemed heavier too.

She walked back to the home base as the sky got darker. It had stopped raining and she removed her umbrella. She arrived seeing an unamused Kamui on the doorway.

"What?" She asked, pulling the groceries higher.

"You were gone for an hour and ten minutes." He frowned disapprovingly. She threw him his bag of money, which he caught with one hand.

_Well, the stuff is heavy and I tripped a few times and ruined my clothes._ "Sorry, my watch is broken." _It's your fault in the first place that it broke so please…._

He smiled creepily and moved aside to let her in, eyes never failing to put her on the edge.

Minutes later and she was shaping the dumplings into shells.

"You want to help?" It was fairly easy for her to make fifty pieces but it felt awkward with him just sitting there and staring.

Kamui nodded, and followed her movements. He made crappy dumplings.

"Okay, never mind. Don't help" She stood up from the dingy table and took several peaches from the bags she brought.

"Did I tell you to buy fruits?" Kamui wasn't fond of peaches.

"Well, seeing as you're starving to death and it will take me time to finish everything, you should be glad that I even got fruits." She said, smug, and a bit tired, like she had read to the end of the book and he was just starting.

She busied herself, constantly watching Kamui who pranced around the small space. When it was dark, he took matches and lit candles. He placed them in windowsills. The place around them was deserted. There was no power. She frowned as she remembered her visit to the market. They didn't seem to rely on electricity to get things going.

They ate in silence. Kamui disappeared when she started washing the dishes. When she was nearly done. She heard him call her from the second floor, which was connected to the first by a wooden ladder nailed on the wall that could have collapsed at any second now.

"Your bedroom?" She asked, there were faded pictures of him on the wall. His hair was black and he grinned like an idiot on all of the photos. One was him standing over a tough looking character, with his foot on his head, posed in a prideful manner. There was an old creep at the background with long straight hair, a pinched face wearing a plain gray outfit.

"Who's this old man?" She said out loud.

Kamui was struggling to open a window. He gave up and kicked it loose, the glass broke into pieces and the rest of the structure fell on the street beside it.

"That's the King of the Night."

"Oh.." She let go of the picture.

There were other pictures of him, one was him behind a fountain of blood, and the other was him bickering with a younger lady, who looked exactly like him.

She frowned and looked back; he hopped over the broken glass and laid down on the roof that covered the first floor. He looked at the cloudy sky, as if stargazing. There were giant fluffs of dark thunderous clouds scattered around the sky. In smaller spaces, where the clouds are thinner, if she focused hard enough, she could see a bajillion stars twinkling. Like they're fighting for space in the universe.

Chiaki grinned broadly.

She wanted to go to the roof too. But she wasn't as cool as he was who's able to jump on windows with broken glass protruding dangerously on the edges. She settled on leaning to see the sky, mindful of the sharp glass.

Kamui laid for minutes, he didn't seem to want to say something, let alone did he want her leaning and craning her neck in the background.

Chiaki decided to amuse herself in his childhood pictures instead when he spoke,

"Chiaki" he said. The nurse hummed from the background to indicate that she was listening when she choked on her own spit; she just realized that he had called her by her first name, which she didn't notice before. She wondered how long has he been calling her that. She also realized how awfully stuffy the room was and that it was an equally awful cliché moment that she wanted to get out from. She felt like it was a punishment from the love gods. She should have dated more in college to know how things led into much more confusing things. But noooo, she wanted to study.

"Did you feel stronger away from your family?" Kamui's eyes didn't leave the cloudy sky.

Chiaki felt like dying. Was he… was he starting to feel guilty now? Her stomach lurched in reaction. She felt a surge of warmth in her tummy. She flailed around in the room wildly, racking her brain for something to say that won't lead him to smack her or ridicule her.

"Yes." She said in a plain voice. But her insides were in a mess from panic

"I'm right then.." Kamui looked back, the instant his head craned to see her. She stood unmoving, like she was standing there calm, all along.

"Family only pulls you down." He looked back into the sky again. Chiaki finally breathed in, she didn't realize she was holding her breath. She punched her heart to calm it down.

_Nonono… mind out of the gutter! Mind out of the gutter!_

"Then, you're guilty of pulling me down too."_ into accidentally imagining my life with you! That's totally gross! Please say something annoying that will be an instant turn off! Do it! Say something like, 'you are weak and pathetic!' this is not good! Mayday mayday!_ She said then stomped on her own foot.

He looked at her with mild amusement.

"Guilty of pulling me down…. Because.. family isn't limited by blood." She explained slowly.

"Now don't get angry when I tell this to you, but to be stuck with you lot for four months puts a few tweaks in the list of who my family is…Like, the doctor that I worked for, he's like my real dad. Abuto-san is like that uncle that when invited to parties tries to be funny but ends up embarrassing you, so I'd hide from him…. Aiko….-chan is like that uncle or maybe an aunt that pinches my cheek so hard during visits so I'd hide from him.. her.. it.. too." She smiled. "And you're like that annoying neighbor who lives parallel to my room's window that would catch me dancing wildly in my 'me time' then video the entire act and make it viral on the internet."

Kamui stared at her incredulously like she had grown two heads. He was surprised to be included on her list too.

"And your real parents?" He asked.

"They're my other neighbor….They had it coming. I barely see them, and all they do is boss me around." She said.

"Do you still miss them?" Kamui inquired, one eyebrow higher than the other.

Chiaki looked away. He remembered her conversation with Abuto.

"No." She said frowning. "Not really." She shivered involuntarily and rubbed her arms for warmth. Her fingers were freezing, her toes too.

"I've been thinking about them lately though." She bit her lip. "I think they gave up on looking for me already. There's probably an empty grave with my name on it back in Edo." She knew her parents. She knew this would happen.

"Ever since I started working under you, I can't appreciate stars as much as I did before."

"Oh? You used to watch stars with someone too?" He asked, a little disappointed.

"Yes, with my cat… I take him out of the dorm and we sit in the roof of the clinic back home. The stars look way better here though."

He brightened up a little.

"But you can't see anything. The clouds cover everything."

There was a distant rumble of thunder.

"Light pollution mate." She flicked off a piece of glass that dangerously went close to her elbow. It shattered into pieces upon contact to the floor. There was a hill filled with houses to her right. The lights from the homes looked like stars too.

"Although.. If you want to see a cloudless sky, when we visit Earth, I can always bring you to the clinic's rooftop. The roof is much more comfortable, though the stars don't look as plenty as you have here." She said.

He stared at her, blue eyes lingered for a moment too long. His expression unreadable, then she realized with horror that she had offered a next time.

He looked back at the sky. Small drops of rain ruined his trance. There was a strange feeling that pulled on his chest. He ignored it, but he will not deny that he didn't like it. When she sighted and slammed her face into her freezing hands in regret for what she had said. He smiled and stated that he would like it to happen.

She shakily gaped at him.

"Well!" Kamui stood gracefully and clapped his hands together. He hopped into his room, avoiding all the sharp glass and patted her in the back. "I have to attend some business with Abuto's mom. Stay here and sleep, I'll get back to you in a few hours."

Chiaki dodged his second and third pat. The first one nearly bruised her back. "Stay here..." She looked around the dilapidated house and saw a foot long hissing centipede crawl from a crack in the wall to the broken window. Maybe the place looked like a regular home _before_ it was abandoned. Now, it was poorly stable hovel that could be destroyed with a few punches of Yato men. It was cold too, and the thunderous clouds indicated a typhoon. Plus, the broken window wasn't any help.

"I can't stay here. Let me follow you!" She begged. Why he couldn't see that the place looked partly haunted house and partly gangster dwelling was beyond her. There were even vandals in the wall that was painted with blood.

Kamui seemed to consider.

"Hell no." He said.

"But why?" She begged further.

"Because you're an eyesore, I don't want to be seen making friends with a brat like you." He ruffled her hair, messing it up in an unbelievable state. It looked bad already from the start, jagged in the bottom with three inches of it too long on her back. She only fixed her bangs when she remembers; there was no mirror in the clinic too.

"Fine. Leave me." _I'll probably leave after that and head back to the ship._

"Whatever you do, don't head back to the ship. You walking here at night is a fool proof suicidal attempt"

Her face must have given her plans away. Kamui frowned disapprovingly. He grabbed the collar of her lab gown and slammed her down his bed. She squealed at his sudden actions. He flipped her so that she was laying on her stomach, for a weak human, she struggled hard. He caught the both of her hands and pinned it on her back.

"What are you doing?" She yelled trying to wriggle herself free. The dusty pillow that her face was on made her nose itch.

"Making sure that you won't escape." To her horror there was a ruffle of clothing. She screamed.

Then a blanket covered her, she felt his hands move to under stomach and pull the blanket. The large cloth soon covered her struggling form, it wrapped around her and tightened on the small of her back. She craned her neck back to see that it was tied on a neat bow. She was rolled up tightly, stick straight on the bed, she couldn't move. She was tied up like a cocoon.

"What the hell is this!" She managed, trying to twist her way out .

"Just sleep. I'll see you later." He pushed her face down the pillow and left, just like that.

"YOU EVIL, EVIL SON OF-" _Wait no.._ "YOU EVIL SOD!" She yelled.

She tried to fall asleep for an hour and tried harder to fall asleep for another hour. Then she said, _ahh never mind._

Chiaki wriggled uncomfortably and tried to put a hand out. She twisted to her left and fell on the ground spine first. It was damn painful. She felt her ribs quake and her organs jumble in a bad way. She forced her right hand out of the cocoon via twisting her shoulders in an angle that was barely humane, in her imagination of course. She felt the muscles of her shoulder creak in pain before she finally had an arm jut out. She praised herself for the achievement. She tried to pry the blanket off her body, but Kamui must have been an excellent boy scout, because the knot was incredibly praise worthy.

She grimaced as she laid there on the floor in an awkward position. The groaned more, when it started to rain and droplets landed on her due to the broken window.

There was a box under Kamui's bed.

There was a misspelled label of 'toys' on it.

Chiaki stretched her arm out to pull the heavy box from under the bed. It fell sideways and a collection of knives, grenades and seventeenth century torture weapons scattered on the floor.

_What… I don't even… _

She unsheathed a short sword from its scabbard and slowly cut the blanket.

That's when she heard it.

Yato weren't ninjas. She learned that the terrifying way. There was shuffling on the door, the sound of feet stepping on puddles and the light from the torches that hurried to her direction from the window. She knew it wasn't Kamui, the Captain would simply kick the door open and drag her to the ship. She could hear voices muffled from the rain. The door on the first floor was banged furiously by a fist.

"Kamui you piece of shit bastard! Get out of there! I told you the last time that there will be revenge!" The voice wasn't particularly manly, but its frustration commanded attention.

_Why do bad things always happen to me?_

She ripped the blanket and kicked it off.

"Maybe he isn't here boss" Someone with a nasal voice gave his opinion.

"Shut up! We've checked their ship already it's empty! He's here" The leader insisted.

Chiaki groped for something, for anything! She was hoping for a gun or anything that could defend herself from them. Save from two grenades and the short sword, there was nothing else she could use. She remembered that Yato had machine gun modified umbrellas, but she left hers downstairs.

She sheathed the knife and placed it snugly on the band of her pants. The other grenade was placed in her pocket. She held in her right hand the other grenade and pulled the slightly heavy metal pole that was under Kamui's bed too. She was weak, but she damn well knew she wasn't incompetent.

She prayed that the men would guess that the house was empty and leave. But their leader was taking no chances. He kicked the door once. Chiaki flinched. Her heart was racing. She positioned herself that she would be able to throw the explosive down the ladder in case they enter and find out that she was there.

After hesitant arguments from outside, she heard the leader snarl in contempt.

He kicked the door. She braced herself when she heard many footsteps enter the house. They were flipping off items, breaking the furniture.

"Kamui come out and play!" Their leader said. There were more than five men inside the house.

"Check upstairs!" The same prominent voice ordered.

Chiaki felt her legs freeze and her hands shake in fear.

There was shuffling before the first head popped out to look. Chiaki would have hidden somewhere. Under the bed was easily seen when you climb the ladder, there was a cabinet beside the bed –the one with the pictures- but it was too small and the door didn't hold. The tables provided no cover and the roof can be easily seen.

The man who's head jutted out from the from the trap door whistled as he saw Chiaki's frozen form.

She couldn't move her legs, she couldn't move at all. She was standing there, exposed.

"Hey boss! It's the pretty lady Kamui was with-"

His disgusting voice forced her out of her stupor. She held the pole and jammed it into the man's eye. The man howled in pain and fell down. She heard the clatter of bodies slamming down to each other, the ladder broke and fell with the man.

Chiaki removed the pin of the grenade and dropped it. She counted to five.

_One… Two_

She used the bloodied pole to smash the broken glass off the windowsill.

_Three_

She climbed out of the window. Her knees got scraped by what was left of the shards she couldn't remove.

_Four_

Chiaki was on the roof, she heard their leader yell curses of his subordinate's incompetence. Nobody must have noticed the grenade.

_Five_

She couldn't do it. She couldn't jump. The roof was too high from the ground. Higher than what she had expected. She hesitated and the grenade exploded.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"Come on Captain! You have to be impressed!" Abuto moved the fingers of his new robotic arm.

"It even has a wine opener!" The Vice Captain popped his pinky finger off. He boasted.

"Your mom's cooking is as delicious as ever." Kamui rubbed his stomach.

"YOU JUST CAME BECAUSE OF THE CASSEROLE DIDN'T YOU?" He hollered.

"Yep, pretty much." Kamui grinned like a fox.

"You're not even denying it!" Abuto wanted to strangle the man.

From afar, there was a flash of light, then a loud deafening explosion. The sound echoed and a pillar of smoke billowed, rising from where Kamui's house was. The both of them knew what that was, grenades in their planet were the strongest, three pieces was capable of clearing off a building. One was good enough to rip men into pieces.

Kamui's eyes widened in realization. His grin disappeared.

_Ohhh fuck..._


	8. Chapter 8

It is a popular belief that anger clouds one's proper way of thinking. Once the said emotion stumbles, no, barges right into one's mental and emotional faculties, all reasoning is thrown right out of the window. In Kamui's case, thrown Abuto out of the window, but that was months ago, even before the nurse has been commandeered by a certain pirate captain. But that is a story for another time, at that fateful evening; Abuto had spiraled out of reach before Kamui could throw him in anger into a burning building, and this time too, it wasn't his fault.

An observer would have stated that anger does not confine itself to throwing people or vice captains into windows going into space or into burning dwellings. The said observer would have been thrown into a burning window into space.

Kamui's first words upon reaching his now badly damaged house were a surprise to Abuto- who was still casually out of reach.

Abuto would have never thought, ever, that Kamui, his Captain, would kneel on the flooding street, clasping the nurses' now dirty lab coat, face in dire horror like he had lost something dear to his life. He brought the half charred coat near into his chest, blood and fleshy bits still stuck on it, and looked into the raining sky.

"Chiaki…. You bitch… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY HOUSE?"

Ah, yes, Kamui then threw the coat into the burning building.

But instead, the coat flew a meter and landed into a puddle. There was a body of a well-built man tangled into it. Kamui's anger morphed into sick and twisted curiosity. The well-built man had third degree burns on his legs and arms, hair was reduced into a mass of foul smelling char. He was twitching, there was a knife imbedded between his shoulder and neck. There was Kamui's favorite knife as a kid, imbedded in him. The Captain raised an eyebrow and flipped the man, so that he was lying on his back. He was unconscious.

Kamui stepped on his right kidney.

The man howled in pain, fully conscious.

"K-Kamui!" The man said, clutching on his organ. He can recognize the infamous captain of the seventh division anywhere. He was afraid.

Kamui stepped on his face, a habit he can't rid of, the man groaned in pain.

"What the _hell_ happened here?" Kamui demanded, face calm and smiling. His voice said the opposite of what he was feeling at that moment, it was cheery. The unnamed Yato wriggled in fear. So this, was the feared Kamui, he thought. Nothing more than a teenager, but he held an aura of absolute strength, he whined when Kamui's foot stepped harder.

"Y-your wife! That pink hair! She- ack…s-she threw a grenade at us! Boss is looking for her!" He managed, he could taste blood. It was not uncommon for Yato to marry in such a young age. So Kamui ignored his assumptions.

"She's alive?" Kamui said. He felt relief bubble into his system, his anger washed away immediately. Now it was only his bloodthirsty side left, wanting to have a taste of action.

The man nodded in desperation.

"Why were you here in the first place?" His cleats dug into the man's cheek.

"Boss wanted revenge for the last time, when you beat him up!" Kamui smiled wider. They all knew how freaking strong Kamui was, Yato loved fighting, but they didn't like losing to an impossible opponent. They steered clear of him when he visited, he had attacked, but they were all defensive. The few who so insolently challenged him were pathetic, and now there was one more.

"Abuto" Kamui called his subordinate. When Abuto didn't say anything, he looked back and caught the vice-captain scrubbing his boot at an upturned cement slab.

"Abuto.." Kamui repeated. Abuto scrubbed harder, eyebrows knit in frustration.

Kamui held the unnamed Yato by his clothing and threw him at Abuto. Abuto dodged and glared at his Captain angrily. "What? What is it!" He dipped his foot on a puddle and scrunched his face in disgust. He was tired of cooly standing on the sidelines while his Captain hogged up the screen time. He was bored too. He decided to kick some pebbles for amusement when he realized that he was kicking off lumps of shit from the streets. The dark impaired his vision. It was too late when he noticed, now he was trying to cover up the smell, but it was strangely persistent.

"Look for Chiaki, she's still alive." Abuto stopped and inwardly rejoiced.

"Yes Captain, and what are you going to do?" He inquired, giving Kamui his signature grin, knowing too well what the answer was.

"I'm gonna kill them all."

* * *

When the building exploded, Chiaki had thought that she would be torn apart into bits along with the house.

She was wrong.

She flew from the second floor roof at a considerable distance to the dirt ground.

Chiaki realized that she was indeed alive and breathing when she found herself face down, drowning in a puddle. She craned her head back breathed in and forced her body to move aside. She faced the burning building. She didn't know that hand grenades held much power. She ignored the cold and first moved her fingers, they were intact, she moved her toes, and none was missing. She cried in relief knowing that she had no missing limbs.

Her ears hurt, especially the right, it was ringing, it was irritating.

Her shoulder was dislocated once again, and her ribs were bruised.

Her body was in so much pain that she wanted to vomit.

There were small pieces of glass stuck on her legs and scalp which she thought would be a pain to remove later. If she will survive, because in the corner of her vision, she could see men rising up from the fire, there were others too who were unharmed and those who died. Four months ago, if somebody told her that she would be in weeks' time, lodge a pole into a man's eye, and survive a grenade explosion that she herself created that killed several men. She would have directed the person to the nearest mental ward and watched the news for signs of a world war.

Awful sickening screams told her to _move._

Her first instinct was to remove her coat, it was white and caught attention like a large neon sign above the forbidden fruit saying, eat me.

She scrambled up, slowly, painfully and removed her coat. Halfway through, someone grabbed her in the back, lifting her up with tremendous strength. Her ribs twinged in pain. She bit her lip and waited. Her ribs were getting painfully crushed. She could feel her organs squeeze against her bones. She didn't struggle. Once the man set her lower, she used all of her strength to stab her heel onto his exposed foot, crushing bones with all her power. The man cried in pain, she spun, unsheathed her knife and twisted the knife on the man's shoulder.

She screamed too, the pain in her shoulder flared.

The Yato, body burned horribly, with his traditional clothing, now unrecognizable, stuck into his melted skin moved to grab at her.

She couldn't dodge even if she wanted to.

He clumsily reached and hit her on the lip. It bled painfully, her lower teeth moved in their sockets. Now close enough to give a retaliating blow, she balled her right hand into a fist and made contact to the man's neck. There was a horrible sound, like meat hitting meat. He gasped for air, and tumbled forward, bringing her along with him in a tangle of limbs. She slammed into the dirt ground and immediately kicked her way out. She finally removed her coat, which protected her from the burns, she bent down to pull the knife from the asphyxiating man.

She heard voices from the far side of the house. She pulled harder; the knife wouldn't leave the man. Chiaki cursed and abandoned the weapon. She wanted to run to the buildings; there were enough coverage to hide herself, now that what she's wearing consisted of darker colors, she was confident that she could maneuver herself unseen in the dark.

But she couldn't run further enough with her ribs in a state. The pain made her dizzy, and turned her movements sluggish.

There was a loud prominent voice, angry, bloodthirsty. The gang's leader was screaming justice.

Her foot scratched her own in a panicked attempt to flee. She shut her bleeding mouth and forced herself to move faster.

_Move fast… fast… FASTER._ She cried in her head.

She passed several buildings, and cut through alleys. She looked back a few times, but it was difficult to see when blood and rain seeped to her eyes. She breathed in and held her ribs for support. It was hard to move without experiencing piercing pain that immobilized her.

_Shit.. shit._

Her sensation of numbness was subsiding along with the earlier adrenaline rush. One by one, she could feel her injuries weigh her down like she was dragging a boulder through mud.

She wiped her eyes with her arm with frustration. Tears shouldn't be coming now… _No_

The whole situation hit her like a brick from heaven

_I'm going to die… I'm going to die…. I don't want to die._

Chiaki's foot slipped in soil riddled with moss. She wailed then emptied her guts.. She could hear the angry voices come closer, their torches blinding. There was another sound too, of rushing water, it was very near. Chiaki crawled fast to the sound, half dragging herself to it. There was a deep open canal below her, its opening on her reach. She gripped the mouth of the opening and slid herself smoothly inside.

It was cold, deep and wet. The passage was built circular. Clean rainwater gushed to a direction in her feet, it wasn't strong enough to bring her anywhere, but the cold chewed on her bones like termites. She rolled to her side and sat a little further on an elevated platform from the opening.

She expected to hear footsteps, but there were none. The loud gushing of rainwater drowned all sounds except from the distant shouting she heard.

The pain gradually worsened. Her senses that were dulled by the earlier panic completely cleared. She couldn't do anything now. Her torso burned in pain when she breathed in and any movement of sorts hurt her.

Slowly, she picked the glass shards that were stuck to her legs, one by one, until she was content. She was ready to die. She forced herself to believe. She watched the slow trickle of blood from her legs dry into crusts while clutching the last grenade she had.

If she sees someone crawl into the stinking hole she entered. She was going to pull the pin and kill herself along with the intruder.

* * *

_Cannon fodder…. Another one….. side character…_

Abuto's face was plain, devoid of emotion. He stretched his left leg and sent a man slamming through cement walls. The others who were circling him backed away nervously. They had thought that they would have a better chance if they attacked him together. Fools they were. There was a reason why the dirty blonde was the second in command.

The vice-captain ran and slid on the muddy ground. His shoulder made contact to a man's chin, removing his lower teeth at once. He grabbed the man by the foot and used him as a melee weapon. Abuto swiped their feet with the man's body. As they fell to the ground, the vice-captain attacked.

He didn't like killing his own kind, no. But he was fond of donating life threatening injuries.

Abuto flipped from the pile of unconscious men and landed feet first to the front of the last man who instantly had pee stains running down his pants.

Our favorite dirty blonde hooked the man's collar and lifted him up for inspection.

The thin mustachioed man squealed in fear, grabbing on his neck line for support.

He had never been this afraid his entire life.

Abuto scrutinized the man; he was no less than a boy, just taller than most of his age group. His fake mustache was falling off and there was snot running from his nose. He was struggling wildly from his position.

The vice-captain regarded him.

"Don't be a stiff, it's just a quiz."

The boy whined nervously, he was looking everywhere, away from the blonde's face.

"Oi! Listen to me when I'm talking to you!" Abuto whacked the man in the skull. He stiffened and paid attention. _No use acting all cool now, the Captain must be impatient… _"Where is the pink haired brat you were tracking?" He shook the guy mercilessly.

"I-I don't know!"

"The usual answer." He spat to his side. "I told you, it's a quiz, and you just gave the wrong answer."

"I swear! I don't know! She left blood for us to follow but she disappeared!" He cried.

"Better, but still wrong." This was bad, Abuto thought. If she was alive now, there was a chance that she would be dead before he found her.

"Please! I'm sorry, I'm just following orders!"

Abuto clicked his tongue. He didn't want to kill the brat. He had a soft spot for young weaklings. A long long time ago, he was like that too. But he had a reputation to be kept. He dropped the young boy and ordered him to go to the last place he saw Chiaki's tracks. The brat scurried around nervously before leading him into a deserted alley. There was a slight bloody handprint on a wall, small enough to be a child's hand, small enough to be Chiaki's. It was headed for east. Abuto followed it and found nothing.

He went back to the print and considered walking into another direction when he spotted a large opening on the ground, water from the rain was pouring in at an alarming rate.

_Aha!_

Abuto looked at the young boy who was forced to follow him. He made a gesture asking him to come close. Abuto whacked the man with his red umbrella, harder this time. The kid fell into the ground with a painful thud.

Chiaki felt like she was going crazy with fear. It had always been in her understanding that dying was something not to be afraid of. She didn't believe in the afterlife. Thus dying was the end of everything, and it means when dead, when all feeling and need has been stripped out from one. There was no sense in fearing it.

But at that moment, her belief didn't make a lick of sense. She was shaking with fear. Fingers numb from cold and pain. All sounds made her heart race. So when Abuto came down from the opening. She was sitting in the pavement, the lower portion of her body under rainwater. Her shivering left hand held the explosive, the fingers of her right on the pin.

Abuto stood motionless on the running water.

_I want to go home…. _

"Abuto…" Her voice was hoarse. She looked at the explosive. It was safe, she didn't remove the pin.

Chiaki dropped the grenade and unwittingly gouged out about a fist size chunk of Abuto's heart in the process.

He didn't cry when Hosen lopped off the head of his father.

He didn't cry when his mother fell ill and he had to watch his brothers grow stronger in training every day while he worked with the old man blacksmith that was kind enough to accept a scrawny kid like him.

He never shed a tear for his comrades that he led to death and injury under his Captain's orders.

And yet he felt like he was breaking down at that moment.

"Don't cry." He managed, more than to himself than to her. But she was crying too, more to relief than anything. Abuto mustered all the fatherly sense in the world and hugged the pink haired nurse. She cried harder and embraced him as well. Abuto leaned to whisper in her ear.

"If you tell this to anyone I'll kill you."

Whatever emotion Chiaki felt washed down along with rainwater.

She bit him in the chest.

* * *

Truth be told, Kamui spent most of his time running around looking for opponents rather than the actual fighting. He planned to sit by the ruins of his house, but after twenty minutes of doing nothing. He stood up and started searching for his enemies.

He beat the first three with ease, it was child's play, really.

He wanted to interrogate the last one but he found out the man to be unconscious. He must have accidentally used too much force. Walking around more, he spotted an old man carrying a bunch of carrots on his way home. He asked if the old man saw anyone suspicious. In hopes of finding them easily. But the man just shook his head and muttered,

"Selfish young brats, always fighting around, never thinking of helping random old men on the streets! What's wrong with this generation?"

Kamui was rude and he found old men useless, so he kicked the bearded baldy and watched him tumble comically down a steep road to a convenient cliff that he never knew existed in the first place.

Of course the noise of the screaming old man brought forth new enemies, in which Kamui disposed of easily too. He also kicked them down the cliff.

Kamui walked around more before finally settling down. Maybe he should have followed Abuto and looked for the nurse. If he was the one who found her, maybe she would be eternally grateful and be his willing slave for a lifetime. His thoughts were interrupted when a disfigured umbrella (all umbrellas look like poorly made imitations compared to Kamui's) flew and stabbed his shoulder blade. Kamui looked behind him curiously before yanking the umbrella off.

It was a stupid move to show off one's coolness. He thought. Now he had two umbrellas, his opponent did not have any.

"Kamui! Finally, our fates have crossed again." Big, buff, with 'x' shaped scars running through his face and short cropped hair. Add a bunch of gold earrings and a bat with nails on the hitting end and the man would look like your typical school gangster leader. But he was a Yato, so he was your typical Yato gangster leader.

"And you are?" Kamui questioned the man's identity. Normally, he would have just said a punch line and then the slaughter. But the man was too far away and his legs hurt from too much walking. It was raining too, and he didn't want to condition his perfect orange hair again later, so he wasn't getting it wet.

"I am Kaname- wait… you don't remember?" He scratched his cheek.

"No I don't, there are too many scum like you lying around and it's a waste of brain cells to remember all the names of you losers that I have defeated." He stated back.

Kaname blinked, that must have hurt.

"Anyhow! Prepare to get obliterated!" He charged with the force of a bull. Kamui aimed the man's umbrella and shot him in the skull. Kaname must haven't noticed it yet, because he still ran a few steps before he tumbled down and laid dead face first on the worm infested ground.

"Yikes" Abuto said from behind Kamui.

The Captain turned around and saw Abuto carrying an unamused nurse on his back, both shielded by Abuto's red umbrella. Chiaki had cuts on random parts of her body, her one arm was on a make shift sling. The longer parts of her pink hair were burned to a shade of black and she had soot on her face. Other than that, she looked alright.

She gave Kamui a brief nod and looked away from the corpse on his feet.

There was a short pause on them three. None knew what to do or what to say. Kamui walked slowly towards the both of them. His lips were in a frown.

Chiaki felt the beating of her heart quicken again. This time not out of fear but out of something else, there was a strange relief knowing that Kamui was alright. And now he was approaching them. Abuto must have sensed it, he shifted a little.

"Hold this." Kamui handed her the dead man's umbrella. She held the heavy weapon as hard as she could. He used his free hand to untie his grey cloak. He struggled on folding it in half and suddenly, Chiaki found herself enveloped in warmth. The cloth was put snugly on her back. Abuto, who witnessed the entire event, had his eyes pop out. He immediately turned away, biting his lip to prevent himself from laughing like a lunatic. The blood he lost from the deep cut on his lip was worth it.

"W-what's this all about!" _Oh my God! Couldn't you have waited a week before doing something as drastic as this! _Chiaki seemed to choke on nothing.

"Eh, I thought I saw on TV that weak ass victims of crimes wear shock blankets to prevent … shock." He said nonchalantly.

Abuto's body shook involuntarily, his barrier was starting weaken, if this continues, he could laugh and ruin the moment. His face was red and he had tears leaking from the pressure.

"It doesn't work like that!" She blurted out instead of a thank you. "And I don't think shock blankets are supposed to be drenched in blood and gore!" She said. The blanket was just a little red on the edges, Kamui thought she was exaggerating. Chiaki's face was heating up, she was forcing down a stupid fourteen year old smile. The kind she had when their class representative talked to her during classes.

_The time is inappropriate. Hold it in Chiaki!_

_Wait a second…_

_The person is inappropriate too! Dammit! Priorities man, PRIORITIES!_

"And I'm not in shock." She gave him a genuine smile.

The 'blanket' was really warm.

"Back to home base then." Kamui said to himself. But the both of his comrades, with flushed faces for different reasons saluted him.

"Hai Senchou!" (yes captain)

* * *

"I'm not in shock my ass…" Chiaki muttered to her own self. She was curled up on one of the clinic's bed. Eyes wide open. By the gods she couldn't sleep. She knew as an almost professional that she was out of death's range.

Her body was shaking out of control. Her skin was cold and her heart was beating at an alarming rate.

Abuto had dropped her off to the clinic after everything, asked if she wanted him to stay. It was a kind gesture that she refused; now she regretted it.

"I just killed people." She muttered to herself. She remembered the horrid sound when she stabbed a pole to a man's eye. The burning building. The horrible screams of those who were trapped. The fleshy note of when she stabbed the burning stranger on the shoulder.

She understood that she had no choice, and it was best that she did it, but killing was strange for someone who was unfamiliar with it. She had always expected that she was going to die immediately, ever since she was taken, but somehow survived until now.

Chiaki crawled from the bed to retrieve a glass of water when she saw Kamui's cloak that she had abandoned after she went in. She was planning to wash it on a later date when the scratches on her hands have healed. She remembered how comforting it was.

She pursed her lips and dragged the cloak to her bed. Replacing the pathetic excuse for a blanket she had.

It was infinitely better.

She closed her eyes and slept.

Only to be woken up much later in great pain.

_Okay… right, pain killers._

She was fully awake now, not just awake in the sense of not sleeping, but awake in full perception of her senses. The clinic was eerily dark. She frowned and pulled out a worn looking flashlight from the underside of her pillow. She needed water, and anything to put the pain down. So far, she wasn't dead, which was good, but the dull persistent ache of her muscles and the addition of sharp stinging pain from her legs forced her awake.

She grumbled incoherently and forced herself to stand from the bed, the blanket falling off her shoulders.

She hissed when she felt the cold touch her skin, and hissed again when she found out that bending and dragging the clothing was too painful. She will have to do it later.

Chiaki held on furniture for support and walked on a turtle's pace to the bathroom where her personal stock of medicine went into. She entered the bathroom.

Illuminated by the flashlight, there was a prominent silhouette of a man lying behind the shower curtains. Her first instinct was to run. But the pain from her stitched up injuries brought her to reality. No one in that Planet was crazy enough to sneak into the ship only to end up sleeping in a tub. It was dumb and unreal. Whoever was in there may have needed her medical attention while she was away, too busy getting blown to bits.

It was likely one of Kamui's men.

She didn't want to take chances though. The nurse slowly limped towards her bed and fetched the umbrella she had obtained from the man Kamui had killed. She knew how it worked; there was a small trigger above the handle that shot bullets out of the end of the umbrella. It was also ridiculously heavy, most likely from being filled with ammunition.

Chiaki went back to the bathroom and used the end of the umbrella to move a section of the shower curtain. She peered in, whoever the man was, he was wearing dark boots, and even darker clothing. There was occasional snoring of an awfully familiar voice. It was a well-built man.

His head was obscured from her vision.

The nurse grumbled quietly and leaned in a little.

Before she knew it, a metal hand seized the end of the umbrella. She let go before she was dragged into the tub along with the weapon. She let out a silent scream and scrambled out in panic.

"It's me!" In a long suffering voice, Abuto announced his presence.

Chiaki was in her toes, reaching for a scalpel to protect herself when irritation rushed in.

She didn't have time for this bullshit.

The nurse pocketed her scalpel rather indignantly and made a beeline to the bathroom.

"Ever heard of privacy?" She whispered to the dirty blonde who was picking his nose, he was lying very comfortably on the bathtub. There was a flowery futon supporting his weight, lining the entire shower area. There were pillows too, and a brown teddy if she had looked hard enough. But she was ticked off, she was _done_ for the day with Yato!

"Get out, it's my room, the only sanctuary I have, I can't have you violating it." Screw manners, she thought. Abuto wasn't even responsive. He didn't have legit reasons to start using her tub as his own second bedroom. How the heck did he even manage to bring the futon in without waking her up?

"No can do nurse." Abuto grumbled. He threw a pillow at her face. "I'm going to sleep here for the rest of…" He counted a bit with his fingers, but it must have been long, because he gave up and shifted to a more comfortable position. "You better go back to bed though; the Captain likes to wake up early." He grumbled, voice slurred from tiredness.

"I don't give shit!" She was starting to talk like a real pirate now. "Leave dammit!"

When Abuto only stared at her, she flipped him the bird angrily and started pulling him by his boot. She knew she should be kneeling down thanking him for his efforts, but this was wrong in many levels. Chiaki didn't want anyone to thing of the wrong idea of why Abuto was sleeping in her office. She had a reputation to hold on to, even if it was almost nonexistent.

When the vice-captain wouldn't budge, she started pulling harder, screaming profanities this time.

"Abuto, tell the nurse to pipe down!" She heard her Captain's voice outside the bathroom.

Too curious to leave it as hallucinations, she ignored Abuto, who was covering his ears with soft fluffy pillows and spotted her newly repaired closet. There were suspicious sounds inside. The closet had a sliding door, it wasn't large enough to lay horizontal in, but if one really tried, it could be a comfortable place hiding spot.

She slowly opened the door.

Kamui's face greeted her like a punch on the heart. Partly from fear, the other for several other factors she would deny if came to discussion

"Ah, is it morning already?" Kamui said, his hair on a messy pony tail. In his favorite banana and salmon pajamas.

She shut the door close.

"Don't worry Human nurse-san, it's only temporary until….. we're just starting now for practice." The pause, she imagined to her horror was for the same counting with two hands jig Abuto demonstrated earlier. She decided that they wouldn't be a threat. It was strangely better that it wasn't some other stranger…. Better the Yato you know right?

She took her pain killers, bundled up a pillow and her Captain's cloak and slept on a conveniently large cupboard in the ship's kitchen.

* * *

Chiaki looked okay, just a bit roughed up on the sides, but she looked decent. There were bruises in inconvenient areas if one would look close enough. But barely anyone took much notice on her, so it was all good.

She was really hungry too.

Aiko couldn't be found anywhere, and for some strange reason, the canteen was padlocked, with a biohazard sign on it. Rumors said that specialists were inside, disinfecting the place. There was a cockroach infestation. She sneaked in the kitchen in hopes to find food when she realized that she has been beaten by a few hours.

Abuto was sitting on a stool playing Minecraft on his PSP.

Kamui was rummaging through the garbage cans. The fridges were empty, if broken fridges and spilled contents of putrid unknown substances were an indication of anything.

There was also a dodgy looking burger patty lying on the floor near Abuto's feet.

Chiaki was desperate.

"Abuto-san, could you move a little, I need to fetch that burger patty on the floor." She motioned at the stinking pile of soiled beef.

Abuto paused his game and raised an elegant eyebrow.

Kamui stopped rummaging, his antenna was twitching.

"For what?" Abuto was curious.

The nurse just pointed at her stomach. Okay, maybe, she just wanted to throw it away. But the patty looked warm and inviting, like a mother's casserole to a hungry child.

Abuto gave her a disgusted look and spread his arms wide to prevent her from reaching the vile object.

"No, it's on the freaking floor! Who eats food off the floor?"

"You know what they say… If it hasn't been there for five hours, it's still safe to eat." Kamui piped in, his blue eyes mischievous. Chiaki sensed that he wanted her precious for himself. She needed to fight for it.

"No, everyone knows it's not true." She corrected Kamui.

"As long as it hasn't been stepped on, IT'S STILL SAFE TO EAT!" She announced then dived for the burger. Abuto, like a soccer player, moved to the direction of the desperate nurse and stopped her by gripping her skull tight. Then in the corner of his eye, he saw his Captain lunge to his left. The vice-captain immediately used his free hand and slammed his red umbrella on Kamui's chest. The Captain did a flip backwards and landed on his own feet.

There was silence. Even Chiaki stopped struggling.

"I hope this is the last time you'll betray me Abuto." Kamui whispered. Eyes dark with hunger.

"Eh?" Abuto said, being the intelligent being he was.

He shifted to his left and squirmed when he felt his left foot get dragged down by the mass of rotting meat.

He stepped on the freaking patty.

The nurse regarded him as 'piece of ****' and popped herself out of his grip. They both left the kitchen with dark clouds of miasma following their trail

* * *

"Eh, Chiaki… What are you doing here?" Abuto said, moving to his side to let the nurse pass. They were at the hallway near Kamui's office. Chiaki was still wearing a sling. The cuts on her face were only visible if inspected close enough. Her legs had scabs in it, so she covered them with pants. She was wearing a full dark blue unsexy nurse outfit. (Courtesy of Aiko-chan)

She had grown thinner, but she didn't seem to be depressed or anything. Contrary to what she always looked like, the nurse was really clean that day. Hair in pony tails, no unusual blood stains on her clothes or body, she was trying to force a smile too.

She was holding a cleaner folded version of Kamui's cloak.

"I wanted to say thank you for that day." Her lips inched a smile. "If you didn't find me, I'm probably a corpse rotting in your planet by now."

"Ah.. that." Abuto's pinky finger made its way to his ear. He started scratching nonchalantly, ugly mug on its usual deadpan.

"Actually, if the Captain didn't order me to look for you, I probably wouldn't have. You know, I was expecting to bring back a corpse just to show him how weak earthlings are. It should have stopped his obsession, but nooooo. You just had to live." He said it, but his lips were twitching, obviously trying to put down a smile.

Chiaki felt a vein pop. "Oh ye of little faith!" She hit him mercilessly with the cloak.

She would have continued hitting him for minutes while the dirty blonde just stood there, cleaning his nails if the ship didn't suddenly jerk backwards like it collided with something. Chiaki let out a gasp as she fell down on the cold floor, she shielded her dislocated shoulder, but her other arm took the damage of the fall.

She looked at Abuto in alarm, expecting him to dash to an important part of the ship then bark orders, but he just stood there. Looking down at her, like she was a bug that oh so insolently landed on his leather shoes.

"Uuuhhhh." Chiaki said, confused. She collected herself and stood up.

"We've landed on the Harusame base." He said.

"Ah… Oh! The base, right… Okay…" Chiaki stuttered. She didn't know they were heading to the base that fast! She didn't even know that they were out of the Yato planet. She must have been sleeping for more than a night then, after the 'incident.'

"Can you give this to the Captain?" She handed out Kamui's cloak. _I'm getting really attached to it, it's disturbing._

Abuto raised an elegant eyebrow then flipped her off.

"Give it yourself" He let out.

_I don't know what's wrong with you today… but I don't think I'll get killed by you for joking a little. I can get punched, but it's gonna be worth it._

"Sorry." She deadpanned. "You just resemble an errand boy." She said then ran off.

"Oi!" Abuto hollered in retaliation to the retarded joke.

Chiaki turned to a corner and collided face first to the collar bone of none other than the Captain. She toppled back, but gained her footing. Her nose felt painful and was instantly warmer than the rest of her body. "Oww Ouch!" She kneeled and covered her nose, blood tricked from it painfully.

Abuto, who was chasing after her stopped running and guffawed at the scene.

Chiaki would have thrown a rock at him. But there was no rock in sight and the pain blocked whatever righteous response she could have made. She inspected her nose and found that it wasn't broken. It was only bleeding. She pinched her nose and leaned forward a little. It was embarrassing.

Kamui looked at her with mild interest.

"Good evening Chiaki." He said as if nothing happened.

"Good evening Captain." She replied, but her voice sounded horribly nasal. Abuto laughed harder.

"I wanted to give this back to you." She handed him his cloak.

Kamui took the article of clothing and pondered a little. "Keep it." He said, "Christmas is approaching and the crew likes to crank up the temperature for a more Christmassy vibe… It's usually a negative and it would be a pain if you get sick and not do our paperwork."

Chiaki in the inside was secretly happy that she will keep the cloak.

Chiaki on the outside humbly received the cloak, with no emotion at all. She wanted to snatch it from his hands and act all tsundere, but she had the feeling that he would kick her in the organs if she did.

"Thanks." She smiled a little and turned.

"Also, Abuto and I are going out now, you are not coming, and while we're here docked at the Harusame base, unless it's necessary, stay in your hovel." Kamui said.

_Why does everyone insist calling the clinic a hovel?_

_... _

_Is he worried about my safety?_

"Why?" She blurted out. Gods… she felt her temperature rise up.

"Because, we don't want to be seen with you." Kamui said.

Chiaki's face darkened a little.

"If the other divisions see the Yato allowing some weakling to tag along with them, it might dirty our reputation a little. So get lost okay?"

Of all the evil things in the world. There are those that topple over others. Chiaki was unfazed though. It was not because she was used to this specific kind of maltreatment. Deep inside, whatever liking she had for Kamui's group disappeared, or maybe that's what she told herself. _Logic needs to be paired with emotion._ She remembered the doctor say. _In situations like these, do not lose your shit._ She could hear the doctor's voice echo in her head.

"Okay." She responded. Chocolate brown eyes turned into pitch black.

_Dig into the evil within you Chiaki…_

"Eh?" Kamui titled his head to the side. He wasn't expecting that reaction. He thought she would get all pissed and begin doing ridiculous things or even plead to join them.

"Listen, any sensible person would not hang out with pirates." Her voice was cold, like a blizzard in Antarctica. "As such I would have not, if I had a choice. So, as now that the amount of pirates will be doubled with visitors or other reasons and outside are a _fuck_ load bunch of other pirates that _you, _my sweet Captain have no control of whatsoever. Following your orders or not, I would still 'get lost' and stay in my '_hovel'_… Suggesting that I'm not going was not needed, by the way, because I do not wish also, to be seen with you."

For a moment, she paused, all that talk about not losing her cool and she let out an entire diatribe.

Kamui reached to towards her in a speed faster than what she could see with her two eyes. It was too fast. Too late to apologize for her impudence, she scrunched her eyes shut in a vain attempt to at least avoid the carnage.

She was carried by the waist and plopped on the shoulder of Abuto. Like how a three year old rides her father's shoulders.

Abuto, like the proper mule he was let out an incredulous 'wha-' to his Captain.

Kamui was standing at a convenient chair that was right beside Abuto.

"She's coming with us." Kamui said, he had a wild grin on his face. Mischievous, evil…. maybe only to the gaping nurse.

"But I don't want to!" She tried going down from Abuto's shoulders, but he was very tall, and it would require sliding down him uncomfortably.

"Captain's orders!" Kamui chirped.

"She can come… But why is she riding my shoulders!" Abuto demanded answers. He moved too fast and Chiaki grabbed his forehead with support.

"It's going to be difficult to see the view if she's that short" was the reply.

Abuto decided to stop gaping at his Captain, because Chiaki was gaping too, and it would be embarrassing if they both gaped at the same time and someone would see.

"But I don't want to come…." Chiaki repeated, tears running down her face for an unknown reason. It seemed like every time she encountered Kamui bullshit happens. Abuto looked up and pinched the side of her face hard. There was dried blood above her lips and her cheeks were stained with tears. "Stop crying! You already look ugly enough!" He grumbled. Abuto took the cloak and wiped the gross dripping stuff from her face.

There was a nagging sensation that he was going to act like a nanny for the rest of the evening.

"Abuto!" Kamui said from afar. "Look!"

He popped an arm in the cage of a space lion that was getting pushed in by panicking crew.

He face palmed. He_ was_ the nanny.


	9. Chapter 9

"And that is?"

A slow to speak, glasses below the spot where glasses are supposed to be worn, toupee, pointy ears, pointy teeth, an old thin Amanto wearing nothing but a pair of loose pants and a vest asked. He was rudely pointing his cheap retractable pen to Chiaki, who was comfortably sitting on Abuto's shoulders. Her thin legs were wrapped around his neck. She was chewing on a plato wrap, filled with something suspicious, but she was hungry.

"That's the seventh division chief medic." Kamui said.

"Hmmm.." The Amanto mused; he went through his records and found nothing.

"Gender?" He questioned the impatient trio.

"Female." She said.

The old man raised an eyebrow.

"R-race?"

"Human." Chiaki replied.

"Human?" The old man squinted and scribbled something down. Chiaki thought he would be done by then. But he started stamping records and typing on an ancient looking computer. The three grimaced.

Kamui stepped forward and tapped the man on the shoulder.

"Mister." The Captain of the seventh division said.

"Hmm? What is-"

"There's a mosquito on your face. Let me help you kill it." Kamui made a round house and the old man flew off his podium and crashed through the side wall. In a normal circumstance, the nurse would have quietly climbed down the safety of Abuto's shoulders and depending on the severity of the situation, either help the old man, or deemed the both of her companions as nut jobs then ran away in record speed. Unfortunately for the injured Amanto, he was the tenth victim under 'old men' that her Captain had attacked. The two Yato forbade her for climbing down Abuto's back, since patching up poor victims were considered as a complete waste of time and according to Kamui there were too many losers lying around being weak and useless already, so he was doing a favor for the pirate group.

She merely flinched and felt Abuto's grip on her ankles tighten a mere fraction. He warned her like that, and she responded by tugging a lock of his blonde hair, meaning that Kamui was walking forward and Abuto spaced out again.

"Do you do this every time you leave the ship?" She mused out loud.

"What are you talking about? The Captain is super tame this time, he usually leaves a trail of corpses whenever we land on the base, the janitors always complain my ears off." He drawled.

"He's tame this time?" Chiaki paled.

"He probably thought that you would go all mother hen and start treating everyone in an instant. We don't need two Aiko….-chans"

"Actually, now that you mention it." Chiaki rubbed her chin. She hated, or maybe just disliked Amanto, even in earth. They were mostly cocky, arrogant in nature, often looking down at her race. There were many injustices back in Edo concerning aliens and humans. In court, her race always lost, even if evidence was more than enough to send the aliens out of the planet. They were lewd too, and she didn't like it that the only thing she could do was to politely laugh off insults. She didn't miss the disapproving look the green old man said when she said that she was human.

"Captain…" She called out to Kamui who was in front of them –Abuto always believed that walking behind in a respectful distance was a must for all top underlings, it also looked cool-.

Kamui craned his neck back.

"You can run around and flip pirates off as much as you like, I'm not going to do anything." She gave him a smile. He looked a little dark too.

The salmon haired man knitted his brows. "What about the Hippocratic oath you were so keen on telling me?" He questioned her.

"It's merely guideless. I just said it before to try and help you, besides I serve under you right? So I won't help them anyways." _I know it's bad, but I don't like aliens…. You're an alien too, but you're pretty okay…. And also, I think you'll start murdering your own crew if you don't get your fix this time._

And with that, the Captain brightened up a little.

_"Good girl."_ Abuto thought.

* * *

When the Captain announced to the both of them that they were going to a Harusame pirate Captain meeting, Chiaki didn't know what to expect. Abuto only visibly flinched and started sweating like a horse, something she didn't like because who liked sitting on things covered in sweat? She had asked to go down, but Kamui refused. Later, she was thankful that she remained seated.

Kamui and Abuto entered a large open area filled with many, different species of Amanto. It looked like a primitive wrestling arena or an amphitheater, with a massive ring in the center and long metal seats on the sides. Most aliens stood though. In front, near the ring were prominent looking figures in similar uniforms as her Captain. Above the spacious meeting place was a clear glass dome. She could see a number of battle ships loom ominously above, along with thousands of stars and galaxies.

Chiaki could count ten mean looking Captains. There were two females, a bunch of half animals and the few were more human looking, like Kamui. The three walked down, pass several crowds of squid faced, dog faced, cheetah faced Amanto. Each seemed like they belonged into different divisions. Not far from the lowest circle where they were heading, she could spot familiar faces of the 7th division's members. All wearing black and fully equipped with weapons. Truth be told, as grand as the area could be, it also stank of strange smells that messed with her senses. It was horribly noisy too.

She craned her neck to the front and saw Kamui walk to the seats nearest to the arena, where the other Captains sat. Abuto stopped at the entrance; he was standing on an area where he had complete view of his Captain. There were other vice captains too, standing near where their leaders sat. But only Abuto looked trustworthy. The rest of the Vice Captains stood taller and meaner, with extra tentacles and teeth to match their muscle.

"I still don't know what I'm doing here." She was still perched on Abuto's shoulders. "Why didn't you let me sit with your other crew, they look sane enough…. And don't you feel tired having me sit on your shoulders?" She asked.

"An interesting query." Abuto's voice was barely audible in the noise. "There was this one instance that the Captain forced me to be his mule, he was heavy as fuck, but you don't feel like anything so don't worry." Abuto was sweating profusely.

"Stop sweating so much! And you still didn't answer why I'm here."

"You know those other people who are standing like I am?" Abuto subtly pointed at the unmoving Amanto. "They are representatives, I am the Vice-captain, and you are the Head Medic, the Head Pilot should be here soon." He grumbled.

Chiaki made a happy sound.

She had a rank! She always thought she was under the category of 'slave' or 'disposable garbage.' She couldn't resist smiling like an idiot, even if it was a pirate rank. Abuto must have sensed her abrupt change of attitude. He snorted in disgust. "The only reason you're the 'head medic' is because you _are_ the only medic we have." Because he was an asshole.

Chiaki was a douche too.

"I have extra hemorrhoid cream on the top shelf, but I guess you won't be getting any." She whispered.

"Oi!" Abuto hollered, she almost fell from his shoulders in surprise but managed to grip a tuft of his hair. She used it as leverage to pull her up. She accidentally ripped a handful of his luxurious locks, but he didn't seem to notice. She shoved it in her pocket to burn for later. Hide all the evidence.

A few minutes of useless arguing from the both and the head pilot came.

"Ey!" She said cheerily, she bent down and posed her right hand for a high five. Her left hand gripped Abuto's skull for support. The head pilot stared at her with a blank face.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Chiaki grimaced and turned away. Her chin propped on her arm. She remembered rescuing the man from bleeding to death in the previous lizard attack. It seemed like he didn't remember her. Come on! How many female pink haired shrimps are present in the ship that he couldn't remember her?

"Everyone! Silence please!" A short Amanto holding a trumpet said from a higher platform.

"Admiral assho- I mean Admiral Abo is here!" He announced in a nasal voice with a salute and a bow. A hefty looking Amanto stepped from the door in the platform. He had a particularly smug look on his equally hefty looking face. He looked pompous enough to be a duke of some unknown country, but to be the admiral of a pirate ship... Chiaki scrunched her brows in confusion.

"That's the admiral?" She shifted uncomfortably, voice unbelieving.

Abuto picked lint from his coat. "No shit." He said in monotone.

"Eh, I expected him to look cooler, like Freddie Mercury, or even Schwarzenegger."

Abuto's eyes lazily drifted to her. He reached up and slapped her mouth lightly to shut her up, she might cause unwanted attention. Abuto didn't know why Kamui brought the nurse along. He didn't mind her company, but the term 'Harusame base' was if not almost, equivalent to tightrope walking without a net for those who are weak as hell. Especially a meeting where the higher ups were concerned, one wrong move and it might jeopardize their safety.

Chiaki grumbled under her breath and sulked on his shoulders. If he wanted her to shut up, he could have just said it nicely.

"Everyone, there is a crisis involving the Harusame's fourth division's head, Kujaku Hime Kada-" The admiral spoke slowly, carefully enunciating words one by one. It would have been good if he was teaching language, but it was tiresome and somewhat irritating. The nurse forced herself to listen out of conduct, but soon, she found herself being distracted by the simplest of things. She looked around and found that there was barely anyone who wanted to pay attention to the man. They were talking to their seatmates, playing their PSPs or just staring into space like what she did. It reminded her of school.

Even Abuto was busy picking dirt off his nails.

"Kamui." Her attention snapped back to the Admiral.

Kamui raised his head a bit.

"I want you to go back to earth and capture Kujaku Hime." It was an order that made her heart race. She gulped. Back to Earth… there was a likely chance it would be to Edo. She felt Abuto shift below her. He subconsciously tightened his grip on her ankles. It hurt, but she didn't mind.

She didn't know if it was her imagination. But for a fraction of a second Kamui's eyes moved and met her eager brown ones. They looked dead serious, it put cold shivers through her spine. Kamui propped his chin on his awaiting arm and smiled.

"I refuse." He announced.

She felt her chest ache.

"Why?" The admiral said, incredulous, it wasn't common for the Captains to refuse his orders but it happens.

"Earth is too troublesome to visit again, Admiral assho- I mean Admiral Abo. Don't expect me to come back there immediately after finding out that there's nothing but trash to pick on hmm?" Every word hit her chest like a hammer. There was knowledge between them that she was no longer a part of his crew. And that she would go home once they visit their planet again. She remembered their conversation after they were trapped for hours in the desert planet they fell into. And he took that chance away from her.

"Hmm? But rumors say that you are interested in Samurai, that you wanted to kill a specific person there. Don't tell me you got me all excited for nothing?" Another Captain said. He was curious.

Kamui glared at Abuto who had been spreading the rumors.

"You don't understand do you? 3rd division Captain-san, you have to wait a little until a fruit ripens before you eat it, other than that and it would be a waste." He avoided Chiaki, who was probably staring at him.

He had his particular reasons. Not yet, he thought. _Not yet._

"I see.." The 3rd division Captain mused, but Kamui didn't hear him.

He avoided her stare, yes, but when Abuto moved to pick her from his own shoulders and had her sit on the ground. He needed to see why. She was crouched on the dirty floor; she was hugging her legs muttering something he couldn't hear. Abuto frowned heavily and stayed behind her so only a few could see. Fat wet tears flowed freely from her puffed eyes. She caught his eyes again, but this time, she looked betrayed.

She always had thought that she was tough as nails. She didn't know she was holding back. She felt like it was petty to cry, but she couldn't stop. At least she wasn't wailing like an idiot.

Kamui felt his throat tighten.

"Kamui!" The Admiral said for the umpteenth time.

"What is it now?" Kamui snapped.

"Since you refuse to follow my initial orders, I need to give you another task to do." He paused a bit. "Do you remember Princess Yukiko?"

"I remember her." Kamui replied. How could he forget? That princess was the sole reason why he snuck to sleep at the clinic's cabinet every damn night. She was an avid fan of him. He once almost killed her for sneaking into his room one night; it was good that Ungyo found him fast. "She _was _one of the biggest funders of the Harusame. But now that she's found out. Her father has controlled all the resources that she took from her home planet. She's useless now." The admiral said.

Kamui scrunched his eyebrows. "You want me to bring her back home in exchange for a ransom."

The Admiral paused. He was going to ask Kamui to dispose of the Princess, but it seemed as if Kamui was pretty crafty in pirate matters.

"Yes, I was going to say that." He rubbed his chin. The admiral continued giving the 7th division captain instructions. In which Kamui trusted that Abuto will listen to and remember. He was too distracted; he will say later when Abuto blames him for not listening.

The meeting lasted for more than thirty minutes. Then they were dismissed, each with their own missions. Chiaki walked quietly behind the two. She wasn't crying anymore, but she was unresponsive.

"I can't _believe _you took the _fucking_ mission with the bitchy princess!" Abuto twitched in anger.

"What would you have me do then? We're running out of fund money and she's the only hope that I'd still get to eat good food in this god forsaken place." Kamui answered. He looked back, expecting some kind of dirty look or even a short retort from Chiaki, but she stayed stoic.

"You selfish _BLOCKHEAD!_" Abuto hit his forehead with his fake hand until it hurt. He knew he wasn't spiteful; he was much more decent than the rest of the pirates combined. But he absolutely disliked the woman. She wasn't evil. The princess never directly insulted him to a murderous extent, but the constant goading and ass kissing Kamui received from her irritated him. He was supposed to be the top underling dammit! She was loud too! Kamui seemed fine about it, maybe because he liked seeing Abuto suffer. Did Kamui like it when Abuto sweats profusely every time they land to home base? Conclusions ran through the Vice-captain's mind.

They entered a particularly large hallway that divided into two different paths. Chiaki stopped and tugged at Kamui's uniform coat.

"I'm going back to ship." She said, seeing as they were going into another direction. Chiaki was aware that it was dangerous, but she needed immediate alone time. She didn't know how long she could stand in the company of Kamui when she felt so betrayed by him.

"It's too dangerous to walk alone. And we still have business to attend to." He replied.

"Since when did you felt concern for trash?" She countered. "I still have to finish giving your men their salaries too!" Her face was reddening, she was scowling. When Kamui and Abuto froze, Chiaki took it as cue that she could leave. "I also need to freaking finish that apology letter you _failed_ to make for the Shinra!" She continued while walking.

"I have to go." She finished, tears threatening to leak from her eyes.

She left the two in a baffled state. Kamui sucked the edge of his cheek. He wore a somewhat tender expression that Abuto only saw on a rare occasion. Then everything snapped into place. Abuto started hitting his forehead with his other arm.

"Captain.." He complained. "You have bad taste in women."

For that comment, later, Abuto will find his precious brown teddy missing. Instead of his comforting toy, a severed rotting head would replace it in his bed side, or perhaps his futon in bathtub side. He would plop the head down the toilet and flush it down.

"Grab Yukiko and get her in the ship. She can use your room." Kamui walked back from where they came from.

"Ehhhh? What the hell! Why me!" Abuto sputtered in barely contained irritation. "Do it yourself!" He sent a convenient wall panel flying towards Kamui, which he dodged in infuriating ease.

"You're the Henchman here, remember?" Kamui reminded Abuto of his place. "And I have thinking to do." He said most to himself. Abuto could only hiss and curseat his Captain before he gave up and reluctantly went into the direction of where he knew the princess would be.

* * *

_"If you want to see a cloudless sky, when we visit Earth, I can always bring you to the clinic's rooftop. The roof is much more comfortable, though the stars don't look as plenty as you have here."_

"What game are you playing?" Kamui whispered to himself. He was on the eastern edge of the base, sitting on a ledge. He was confused. Chiaki was persistent, often acting like an idiot and was stubborn enough to rival Abuto. Women should know their place, _she_ as a captive should know her place. Yet she continued in her own little ways to defy him when she could get away with it. He had treated her like an ordinary hostage, and she continued to act like she was _fine_. He knew she wasn't. Her earlier reaction was a solid proof of that. Perhaps it was a Human thing. He didn't know.

He really enjoyed her company too.

She was weak and pathetic, but it was a refreshing difference from what he was used to.

Kamui threw a rusted piece of metal and watched it float aimlessly in space.

He didn't want her to leave yet.

_"And it's not that I'm going to tell anyone. That's what friends do right?"_

There was a tugging sensation on his stomach.

_"Guilty of pulling me down…. Because... Family isn't limited by blood."_

She was foolish, and yet he wanted to see where her sentiments will take her to.

_"Captain, I believe this is goodbye then."_

Kamui paused mid throw at the eighth rusted piece of metal he was going to hurl into space. It was that time, when she irked him hard enough that he told her she was fired. When she tried to leave his side and never come back.

He concluded that she was now part of the Kamui and Abuto Take over the Harusame and Become King of the Pirates Group, or the KATHBKP. There would be another irritating consonant added, but it was alright.

She can_ never_ leave.

Kamui hurled the metal into space.

"Oi! You're ruining the ship!" Said a Harusame underling from behind; if exposed air pressure pipes, leakage of unknown fluids from broken metal walls and dangerously squirming cables filled with electricity were an indication of anything.

* * *

"Hot bitch alert!" A shady looking pirate said from behind Chiaki, and no, she didn't feel like it was the wrong decision to part ways with her companions. She was having a heck of a good time getting lost. It cleared up her mind of delusions. Kamui and Abuto are the kindest gentlest pirates ever. Now that she had seen what the other pirates were made of, it made the two assholes seem like gods. She will probably bake a pink lace cake for Kamui when she gets back to the 7th divisions' area, providing that she will get back in the first place. She felt like she was lost for many hours now.

"Where?" Chiaki responded in monotone. Her brown eyes were reduced to something darker that what is usually seen.

She looked behind her, face impassive. The pirate was obviously pointing at Chiaki.

_I may look super cool now, but I'm close to pissing myself._

"Oh? Behind me?" Chiaki looked ahead of her. "I guess you're hallucinating shady pirate-san. I suggest you lay of the drugs and start eating your vegetables." She offered. She talked too much every time she was in the verge of panicking. It was like the Thesis incident. Those panelists were really hard boiled.

"I'm referring to you!" The pirate felt a vein pop. It was seldom that he could see innocent looking girls walk around the ship. He wanted to try having a go at her.

"I can refer you to an eye specialist." She deadpanned.

"I DON'T NEED AN EYE SPECIALIST! I HAVE 20/20 VI-" The shady pirate's gutter mouth was covered by a beefy looking hand. Not a muscled hand, but more of a cow inspired hand. It was a half cow half human Amanto, complete with the number tag on the left ear. "Yoshiro! You fool!" The half cow man said. He slammed Yoshiro down the hard metal ground and kneeled down.

"Apologies, Ibara hime-sama" He hit his forehead multiple times on the hard steel.

Chiaki decided that she had enough of this bullshit and walked away immediately. She wanted to ask directions but every non-creepy pirate she saw was accompanied by ten more creepy pirates that eyed her like she was some prize fish at the market. At this rate, it will take her a really long time before she could ask directions.

"Wait!" The cow from before ran to her with his companion. Chiaki's eyes hardened.

He put his hoof down the pocket of his vest and made action to pull something.

The nurse immediately turned to a sharp corner. She will stand no chance if it was a gun. She ran faster, this time past many pirates whom she barely could dodge. _Damn it!_ She passed a familiar looking hallway and grinned. She had a slight idea where she was.

"Hime sama!" The cow urged from behind. He was getting close.

The nurse heaved and forced herself to run faster.

"It's useless!" The cowman's companion called out.

"No Yoshiro! I have to!"

Chiaki felt like her head was getting heavier and heavier as she ran forward. She had missed the sharp turn she was supposed to take. Now she was running straight to nowhere. The hallways were getting wider and wider, it was an unfamiliar route. She could feel her heart pound painfully. She needed to stop, her injuries might aggravate. Her vision was getting cloudy.

_Forward… forward.._

The hallway opened up to a large dome, she slowed down and picked a tunnel leading to her right, where her instinct told her to. She looked behind her and screamed when she saw that the cow man had come to a four legged run.

"Hime-sama! I just want your-!" She heard him choke at his last word.

"Hell no!" Chiaki screamed back, she hit a particularly large Amanto in the shoulder hard. She apologized and ran faster. Why was the base full of creeps? Her legs were weakening fast. Then she saw him. The bright orange hair with the seemingly unnoticeable black roots, the freaking braid and the aura, Kamui was standing, his back on her. He was conversing with a baffled shorter man with a clipboard, pointing at a damaged portion of the ship.

"CA-CAPTAIN!" She lurched forward. Her initial plan was supposed to slow herself to a complete stop via a gentle impact to Kamui. She knew it would be painful, but she couldn't run anymore. Slowing down would lead to the pirate to capture her and do whatever horrors he can.

Kamui dodged.

Chiaki's eyes widened as he grabbed the back of her lab gown to stop her. It was futile. Instead of stopping, she felt the gown get stripped of her body. She tumbled to the floor and rolled like a log a few times before coming to a permanent stop. She immediately picked herself up and sneered at everything.

Kamui raised a brow. Her lab gown on his hands, the technician he was talking to ran away. Kamui's eyes followed the Amanto. Who was holding a small notebook filled with blank pages. The 7th division captain unsheathed his umbrella and pointed it threateningly to the cow.

"K-Kamui-sama!" The cow bowed and slammed his forehead down the steel ground.

"What were you off doing, chasing the doctor like that?" He inquired diplomatically.

"I-I wanted Ibarahime-sama's autograph" He pushed the notebook forward.

"Ibara-hime? But there's no Ibara-hime here? Only your average pirate captain and his henchman." He crouched down. His antenna was twitching. This was really starting to piss him off.

The Amanto bowed harder, his forehead was creating a dent to the metal floor by now.

"Ibara-hime! The famous medic head of the seventh division! The one who has tamed and used the esteemed Abuto-sama, who singlehandedly defeated the army of bikini bombshells in planet blonde bombshells, as a mule! One of the best medics in Harusame, with her infinite knowledge and wisdom, the loyal follower Kamui-sama!."

Honestly, Kamui felt like puking, pirates again and their troublesome rumors, always with their tittle tattle, especially Abuto, The Queen Bee of Gossip. He felt his eye twitch.

Chiaki's eye twitched in sync. _She exhausted herself for nothing!_ She wanted to rip off the man's nose ring and hang it outside her clinic as a warning for those who did bullshit on a daily basis. _Stop it, Chiaki, you're a grown woman now, be mature and stop it! Stop trying to stare at your gross knee skid!_

She skidded her knee bad, she was wearing pants, but she could feel it sting.

"Right, sorry." She apologized to Kamui, who had his eyes hidden in his bangs for some particularly dark reason.

"Give it." She knew about the rumor problem, but she didn't know it would be _that_ bad.

She signed the notebook and looked at Kamui, who still was sulking in the corner.

_Uh oh…_

"Nose ring cow man-san, I think it would be best for everyone if you ask Kamui-sama for a signature too." She figured him out real quick. "But I'm unworthy to ask the great Kamui-sama!" He lowered himself on the floor. "I bet if you write down Kamui-sama, it will probably be in gold filled with rainbow stickers and glitter." She frowned.

"Just do it damn you!" She didn't know Kamui was the jealous type, but she could feel his resistance snapping even at her distance. Nobody asked him for his signature, it was always Abuto or the other losers that followed him like flies on shit. _They _and never _him_ the holier than thou Captain of the 7th division were asked for autographs.

The Amanto slid on his belly towards the direction of Kamui, eyes never leaving the floor, prostrate to the ground. "K-K-Ka-Kamui-sama….. I beg… If you would, your honor, can you bless me with your autograph as well." He pleaded. Kamui eyed him like some stain that had so insolently attached itself on his boot. He crouched down and snatched the notebook from the Amanto.

There were sounds of etching and Kamui threw the notebook at the man's head. He was okay now.

The Amanto opened it slowly and found a page that said, "Kamui-sama, your true King" written in blood and gore. The cow man felt like crying. Such beauty…

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH KAMUI-SAMA!" Cow man slammed his head on the ground extra hard.

Chiaki sweat dropped.

"You comin?" Kamui threw the lab coat at her. She caught it with two hands and stared at him.

She gulped.

"Captain…" She started, "is there a particular reason why you refused to go to Earth?" She immediately regretted asking him. The question had been plaguing her since she left. She heard her heart beat faster.

Kamui regarded her with cold blue eyes.

"None that concerns you. Now come on, I thought you said you need to finish paperwork." He said nonchalantly. He turned and slid his umbrella to its sheath. Chiaki sighted, she, she almost felt disappointed. His words hit her somewhere around the knees, she was hoping for _something._ She didn't know _what_ it was. Chiaki must have stood there for a while because Kamui glanced back with an identifiable look.

The nurse swallowed and sent him a stunningly uncomplicated grin. She walked to his side.

_You always have to smile, even when it's hard. _The doctor always reminded her.

Kamui sent back his own smile. The one he doesn't show when he's bidding his enemies goodbye.

_You always have to smile for Kagura-chan. _His mother said once.

The two walked away.

Cow man choked on his tears. "Ibara-hime sama!" He bellowed into the open space. His comrade ran to his side, finally catching up. "What's wrong?" His friend took note of his tears and the sparkles that went with it.

"There's something between Ibara-hime sama and Kamui-dono!" He shook his companion by the shoulder.

"They're together?" An unnamed passerby piped in.

"Really? They're together?" Another passerby said, upon hearing the first passerby.

"Who? Who is together?" A particularly older gentleman known as Abuto, popped his head in the groups who were murmuring among themselves. Abuto, was carrying an irritated long haired female who was gagged and bound. She was squirming, but it was no use. She was the princess.

"Kamui-dono and the doctor!" They said in sync.

Abuto felt vomit creep into his mouth.

"That's never gonna happen you fools!" he hollered and marched back to the ship. Deep inside, he grinned the grin of secretive assholes. _Heck yeah!_

* * *

"Abuto-kun, wait a second." Chiaki called out from inside her clinic. She could hear him slamming his fist on her still broken door. How did he know that it was Abuto? Well, she and the vice-captain had an agreement that he needed to knock before entering. Or else he would find himself slowly running out of hemorrhoid cream. The other Yato, bastards as they were, kicked her door open. Not a hint of respect! It was a good deal, but she forgot to specify what _kind_ of knocking he can do. Abuto, being the opportunistic fiend he was often made a scene every time it took longer for her to leave the clinic. There were times when he announced his presence with his atrocious singing voice; his other bastard methods were a bit unethical. She will not make it known.

"What is it?" The nurse pushed the door open and stared at a person who was not Abuto.

"Princess Yukiko." Chiaki said plainly. She was so not in the mood to deal with her shit right now.

Chiaki's nature was more of the "All people are irritating, I hate everything too, but! Because of me being born as me, I'm cooler than the rest. Thus I am more accepting and I love everyone" than the plain, "I hate the world, especially Japan, I simply want to _destroy!_" It was confusing, but it was what made her herself. The second nature shall be tackled later when fate decides that more humans, or terrorist groups will be joining the Harusame, but that's a story for another time.

The point of that paragraph was to say that she wasn't easily ready to suddenly _hate_ a person and deem them as archenemies. Hating was distracting to her studies, it gave wrinkles too.

The _real_ point of that paragraph was even if you were born with a suspicious face and acted like Abuto all the time, Chiaki wouldn't hate you.

Whether Kamui decided to leave the Harusame base because it was unsanitary and full of gossip immediately, of because he wanted to get rid of the Princess as fast as he could was unknown even to Chiaki.

It was their fourth day at space, and the fine line between hate and irritation was thinning out, _fast!_

Kamui and Abuto was nowhere in sight as well.

"Chiaki, I just had the most exhausting conversation with that rude vice-captain of yours." She whined.

The nurse had a distant thought of opening her own throat with one of the sharpest scalpels she owned.

"What did he do?" Chiaki asked.

"It's not what _he _did, dear, it's about everything! I don't have enough space! The food here is _disgusting_! How can you live in such a place-" Chiaki spaced out. She was so sure she saw Abuto walk from the corner, only to run away when he saw the Princess.

"It's not really that bad… the food can improve a little, but the ship isn't that horrible." She gave her opinion to the less than pleased princess. Chiaki wasn't finished tallying the new boxes of medicine she received. She was not in the mood either for talk. The gorgeous brunette pursed her lips to the sleepy nurse. "Maybe it's because you are used to my standards of living." The princess mused.

_Your standards can go to hell!_

"Yeah, okay." Chiaki said.

_You just implied that I suck do you!_

"Yeah okay? How can you say that?" The princess was high pitched. "_I_ was the one who gave funds on this stupid organization! Now they're treating me like this?" Chiaki would have felt sorry for the princess if it was the first time she heard her say the exact same words. The princess had repeated it over and over.

"You made a deal with _pirates! _Dear John! Pirates! Blood sucking, evil, illegal black hearted murderers and thieves! What did you expect!" Chiaki raised germ free hands for effect. "I know that deep inside, you knew what would happen!"

The princess took a step back.

"Now, the seventh division is taking you back _home_, for ransom, to sweet, sweet home! Stop complaining!" Chiaki peeved.

Yukiko stared at her with an annoyed expression then huffed. "By the way, have you seen Kamui-kun?" She asked narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the nurse.

"No." Chiaki said and slammed the door at her face.

The nurse walked to a messy corner and started sorting the pills in neat layers.

Minutes later her cabinet door flew from where it should be attached to the opposite corner of the room. Kamui, who was comfortably occupying the cabinet, stretched his legs. He was feeling rather nifty that morning. Maybe later he'd try to bug Abuto. He stretched again and lay down on his stomach. The cabinet was really comfy.

Chiaki was writing something on a record book.

He'd bug her too. He thought. Sometimes it was a pain to look for Abuto. He just has to settle for another one.

"Yukiko-hime was looking for you a while ago." _Be a lady, be a lady. The princess' gorgeousness already crushed what's left of your self-esteem. At least try to act like an actual female and not scream at everything._ She ignored the broken cabinet door that she had put so much effort on fixing. It was now in bifurcated _again. _"She told me if I had seen,_ Kamui-kun._"

Kamui visibly twitched. It sounded tacky.

"Also." Chiaki faced him. "Get out." She finished.

The Captain raised his brows. "Ho? Are you trying to order me around?" His legs were moving back and forth, amused by the entire situation.

"You've been hiding around my Cabinet for days now!" Her brows furrowed in irritation. "Can you give me some privacy?" She snapped. "Even Abuto-kun is not irritating to this extent."

"Abuto-kun? Since when did you and Abuto get so close?"

Chiaki paused. She watched him prop his chin on his arm, he gave her his signature shit eating grin.

It gave her the chills. She squinted.

"Stop being a fussy wuss. I just call him that because it irritates him. It sounds catchy too." She grinned at him. Kamui shielded his eyes.

"Now that all questions have been answered, shoo, Captain, I know you have lots of important Captain stuff to be doing right now. Like tap dancing in front of homeless cripples, experimenting 'premature ageing' on Abuto-kun or destroying every vestige of your subordinates' hopes and dreams… you know, the usual stuff."

"Did the 'it' creature say something? Because all I heard is blah blah blah"

She threw a box of tissues at him, which he dodged with ease.

Chiaki hissed.

"You're starting to become a little too cheeky." Kamui noticed. She was returning his insults more often than what he was used to. It felt nice.

"Watch out, the longer you let me live, the cheekier I'll get." _It's because I'm finally getting comfortable with you losers, at it only took me half a year._

"I guess I have to end you then." Kamui said, unsheathing his umbrella with pure killing intent.

Chiaki gasped and scrambled away like a spider.

"Just kidding." Kamui smiled, he plopped his weapon back.

"Damn you!" She said, but before he could say anything, she dimpled one cheek at him and laughed. She had a real adrenaline rush earlier, but now that it had subsided. She felt like an idiot. But she could never be too careful. Kamui smiled a little.

"Okay." She gathered several documents in her arms. "See you later, don't blow things up and try not to cause life threatening injuries to your fellow homies." Chiaki pocketed a scalpel among things and pushed her creaky rusty door open. She stepped outside and stopped. "Wait, on second thought." She poked her head in the clinic; chocolate brown eyes met bright blue ones.

"Don't hit or kill anyone today and I promise to join you and Abuto later in your Cards against Humanity game, we can play past my bedtime." She shut the door and left.

Kamui sat on his makeshift bed, his stomach doing backflips. His cheeks were somehow forcing him to smile like an idiot.

_"I think I have a weird case of diarrhea, must be the pink lace cake I found at my bedroom yesterday."_

* * *

Thank you for reading! :)


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Gintama.

* * *

Chapter 10

_"I still don't understand why you insist on studying nursing when you can become a surgeon, or a physician like me and your mom!" Chiaki's father hollered, face red from anger_

_"Father." Chiaki held the man's shoulders, eyes blazing with a fresh kind of determination. _

_"I want to be a pirate."_

_"HELL NOO!" The father stomped childishly. "Haven't you learned from our neighbor Kamui!" He leaned in to whisper to Chiaki's ear. "He's a bad seed." Chiaki blinked. _

_"I'm right behind you." Kamui said from behind the father._

_Abuto, being the father raised a sophisticated eyebrow that utterly looked down at all eyebrows at his vicinity at the moment. He regarded Kamui as the dirt that had so insolently landed on his polished boot. "And I care wh-"_

_Whatever nasty retort Abuto, the father, was about to say was cut off by a mass of frills, sequins and overly dyed hair that would make anyone dive for the 14th century and stay there, forever. "Abutooo~ Don't be so rude to our neighbor…" The mother, Aiko, made a pose. "Hmm, you know Chiaki and Kamui are…" The tanned bulk of muscles and neon hair raised his pinky finger and started making kissy sounds with his glossy lips._

Kamui shot out of his bed, his spine stick straight, hair in a sticky mess and eyes bloodshot from horror. He made a noise of disgust and turned to roll himself off the bed. He froze. The Captain of the seventh division peered quizzically at the spot between his legs and made a noise of utter terror. Before the appearance of his lieutenant the dream had been _slightly_ intimate with a certain human.

He needed a cold shower.

The Captain always started his day with a large bowl of rice, fish and a glass of milk if he really felt like it. These past few weeks he had been starting a few of his mornings with a tank worth of a splash of cold water. Today was one of those days.

In the Harusame the most of the high ranking pirates had taken a liking on fancy interior decorating that cost them loads of money. His room was the average room of his race, a bed, a table, an umbrella rack, the latest Wii, a clean bathroom and the much needed pile of rotting corpses on the middle of a fancy carpet, stinking up the room. Kamui edged around it carefully. He made a note to ask someone to clean the place.

He took a bath and rubbed his chin in front of a large mirror. Not yet, he thought. All of his clan had obstructing facial hair growing out of their faces at fifteen years of age, heck he was so sure Abuto had them at ten. He threw his daily supply of razors down a suspiciously red stained trash can.

Kamui dried his dyed hair and braided it with one hand; the other was rummaging through a drawer searching for a piece of elastic. There were a number of pictures on that drawer as well. The top layer consisted of a yellowed down photograph of his mother and father sitting on a bench by a river –with the baldy's face carved out-, a small high quality print of Hosen flexing his muscles, Kamui's younger self with his first dog, Abuto's baby pictures and Chiaki's school ID –snapped in half-. He crumpled and tossed Hosen's photo on the trash can, he missed.

Kamui, too lazy pick up his trash, tied his hair and headed out for breakfast.

**Harusame Kitchen:**

Abuto scratched his hairy chin and stared at the women in front of him.

"You see, Rosalind Franklin did most of the hard work while these two just copied and published stuff about the DNA! Do you have any idea how hard she worked!" Chiaki flipped the large textbook that has been taking most of the space in her table. Her glass of milk has long gone cold. She turned her head to face the princess and narrowed her eyes in mild irritation. "Are you listening?" She snapped her fingers twice.

The princess woke from her stupor and gave the nurse a sheepish look. "Sorry." She said with a pretty grin.

Chiaki was not amused. She gathered the books on her table and shoved it to Yukiko's skinny arms. "You're not going to pass your college entrance exams if you keep on zoning out every time I try to help." She crossed her arms and challenged the princess to speak.

"Bu-"

"You know you only have a week or so, do you want your whole kingdom to know that you failed pathetically." She cut Yukiko off.

"W-"

"GO STUDY DAMN IT!" Chiaki yelled.

"I don't know why you even bother! I'm not going home!" The books fell down the floor with a cringe worth thud. Chiaki felt the urge to throttle the princess right there.

"Then what are you going to do with your life?" She looked at the princess warily and bent down and collected the resource materials. Yukiko from her position felt a little guilty. Abuto shot the royal a glare. With a sigh, the princess kneeled and arranged the papers. Yukiko had quit complaining about everything after the nurse herself charged to her room one night –Abuto's room, now he's been sleeping on Chiaki's comfort room– and asked her to shut her trap or half the crew would have their way with her and murder her. Her wails had been keeping the ship awake at night. The princess had stopped since then. She once mentioned something about a college entrance exam and Chiaki had been tutoring her nonstop.

"With my life.." Yukiko set the last book down a pile and said. "I want to marry Kamui."

"A fat lot of good will that do." Chiaki threw the books at the Princess once more. She heard a distant sound of utter disgust from Abuto. "I think the Captain is asexual, he's never seemed to be the kind that can be tied down." The vice-captain downed Chiaki's glass of milk.

"You're better of marrying prince Hata from the NatGeo channel." The nurse gave a comment.

"That purple thing with the weird voice?" Yukiko stared at Chiaki.

"Hey, rumors have it that he actually speaks in a manly voice when he pleases." Abuto contemplated.

The royal gave the both of them a look and huffed. "I'm going back to my room." She said. The vice-captain felt peeved, he missed his comfy bed. Cold tiles weren't exactly the most comfortable bedding, even for someone as manly and rugged as him. "Quiz, later at 3, study about the concepts of regression and correlation. You have several hours to study." Chiaki said to the princess. Yukiko could do nothing but stomp childishly and leave.

The human inspected her empty glass. She gave Abuto a nasty look. Abuto feigned innocence, as if the milk on his facial hair proved nothing but his person being free from any crime.

"I don't know why you bother." Abuto repeated.

Chiaki's frosty look melted into something the vice-captain was much used to. She knitted her brows in irritation and decided that silence was a better answer. She was jealous of Yukiko who had everything. Maybe helping her was a subtle way for Chiaki to feel better about herself. The princess was going home. Something the nurse was supposed to head to if the Captain hadn't refused. She gave him the outward façade that she was alright. It was evident that Kamui knew what really kept her awake at nights.

Abuto cleared his throat. The nurse seemed content on staring into nothing. He wanted to prod her into answering his queries.

"Marrying the Captain isn't _that_ bad you know." The blonde gave her a wink. "I can always plan a surprise wedding." He wriggled his eyebrows in a teasing manner.

She gave him a look of surprise which in no time morphed into displeasure. Chiaki gave him an approving smile.

"Can I decide which of the both of you is going to wear the dress?" She shot him a grin and dashed on the nearest exit. She slammed gut first into Kamui's umbrella and doubled over in pain.

"Good morning to you also" Kamui smiled and gently rolled her off his way with his foot.

"No wonder the ladies throw themselves at you." Abuto rolled his eyes.

"Man down, man down!" The nurse gasped from the floor, but nobody paid attention. She laid her stomach flat on the cold ground, finding the chill soothing her pain

She heard the familiar noise of average men eating breakfast, with subtle hints of bloodshed and homicidal tendencies, but all was well. Chiaki, too lazy, and disabled at that moment, to care began crawling her way out of the kitchen before anything drastic happened. She needed to do laundry and maybe pay a visit to Aiko when she's done. She wasn't too keen on spending her time in the _lovely_ company of the both of them.

"Your men are beginning to be anxious Captain.." Abuto whispered on his seat. She heard a bit of shuffling then more chewing sounds. Chiaki crawled harder. Kamui made sounds of agreement before he regarded Abuto cooly with intelligent eyes.

"… Why are they anxious?" Kamui knew nothing.

"IT'S TWO DAYS BEFORE THE BIRTH DATE OF HUNTA CLAUS AND YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING YET!" Abuto slammed a meaty fist down the table. A bowl of cereal flew and narrowly missed Chiaki's head.

"Oh, that." Kamui folded his arms. "You can do your national holiday stuff as you please, I've never celebrated before, and I'm not going to start now." He poured himself another bowl of cereal. Abuto narrowed his eyes. "You never?" He asked mostly to himself.

"Since when did my life morph into a Christmas movie…" Chiaki muttered to herself and gingerly avoided the cereal bits on the floor. She crushed one too many and stood up. "Who's this Hunta Claus?" She asked curiously to Abuto.

"You don't know?" Abuto said with the ill-conceived glee of enthusiasts. The Captain cursed under his breath and moved his cereal to the furthest table from Abuto. Kamui had heard the story over and over again from his right hand man. He respected Hunta Claus, but the gifts he received from the slim dark bearded blood soaked gift giving devotee were always a 4 piece candle holder set made from cheap plastic, every single year. Every year our favorite Captain went near the turbines and hung his Hunta socks. Every year he would feel nothing but jealousy as others got cool shit while he had candle holders.

"They said that Hunta Claus would drop by every December to shower Yato, who was good that year, by good I mean killed off at least a thriving civilization and razed villages to the ground, with gifts." Abuto sighted contently. "The more blood you spill, the better the gifts."

"You know that's a total rip off from Earth's Santa Claus." Chiaki commented.

Abuto gave her a look. "Or maybe your Earth copied it from our clan." He said in a tone that convinced himself. "Aren't you supposed to celebrate December with Jesusmas?"

"Christmas." Chiaki corrected the older man. "It's mostly a commercialized holiday, but it's passed by now." She took a glance at the ship's calendar. "I always get socks though, so I'm not really feeling like I'm missing anything." She said and scrubbed bits of cereal from her coat. "You do your festive crap, I still need to soak the Captain's bloody uniform…. And wash his underwear." Chiaki squinted at Kamui who innocently cocked his head in her direction.

"No, you're coming with me. You can burn his clothes later, I need every help I can get."

Chiaki made a noncommittal hum and slumped on the table.

"You're going to help too Captain." Abuto grinned at his superior.

The cereal munching superior raised a brow. Vice-captain Abuto smiled in success; Kamui didn't refuse, that was progress. Chiaki shifted, blinked then gave out a hiss. Abuto of all people should know that she was still feeling a bit peeved of her Captain. She had fun and played cards with him, but she would rather cool down for another few days before having to see her work hand in hand with the pirate.

* * *

"No, no, no…" Aiko made a pose. His pink hair had been styled neatly to match the festive atmosphere around him. Lower ranking crew scuttled past him in a hurry, each determined to play a part in their national holiday. It was the season where all blood thirsty murderous clan members would lock their arms together and drink past bedtime. Not that they did that every day, there was something special about the birth date of Hunta-san that put smiles on the scarred faces of the clan members.

"The pile of skulls should be placed nearer to the jar of kidneys! Not the mutilated limbs!" He gave an overly dramatic point on a corner then twirled to a stoic faced Chiaki. "Smile dear, there's no reason to look _that_ grim." He placed his gloved hands on her cheeks and forced a smile. The nurse slapped the man's hands away.

"I thought your Hunta Claus stuff is Christmasy…. Not… Not this!" Chiaki gestured to the decorative mound of spider webs and the convincing corpses that lined the once neat hallways. There was an eerie tree at the corner made entirely of eyeballs of different colors. She had been used to darker themed decorations every Halloween, but this was an entirely different level. The clan didn't believe in half assed efforts and was in a no bullshit sense up to the last red eyed hovering reaper that seemed to lurk in every unsuspecting corner.

"What's Christmasy?" Aiko gave her a box of fake vermin. The nurse scoffed, as if there weren't enough live rats that chew on her shoes at night.

"It's a human thing." She responded and handed the box to a passerby.

There was a flurry of movement and she found herself perched in the familiar back of the vice-captain. "Is that you?" Chiaki peered. Abuto was garbed in a tattered black cloak; his face was covered by a rather disturbing devil mask. "What's with the evil look, not that you weren't evil enough in the first place." She clutched his hair for support.

"It's tradition!" Abuto said with a muffled voice. He teetered around a group of beefy men who were on their knees, chanting and bowing down to a burning skeleton. Chiaki made an incredulous sound and buried her face on her palms.

"If that displeases you, you should see the gift giving ceremony." Kamui said from the side.

_So, you don't decorate pine trees with last minute cut-price decorations, but you give away gifts?_ A voice inside the nurse uttered in a complete mix of emotions that can only be expressed with the image of a lumberjack Abuto splitting mahogany with his bare arms. The Captain was wearing similar attire to his subordinate, minus the devil mask. Instead, there was a ridiculous witch hat atop his head.

"Here." Kamui handed the nurse a small box filled to the brim with dust coated bundles of leaves with white round berries attached to it. She inspected a bundle with curiosity. "Tape them on the ceiling as you go."

"Is this mistletoe?" Chiaki sniffed the fake plant then rubbed her nose in irritation. She noticed that the vice-captain brightened up at the mention of the plant's name. "But I thought you didn't have women in the ship." She tore tape with her teeth and secured a stem firmly on the ceiling.

"That makes it even better." Kamui remarked.

She froze and gave the Captain a look of uncertainty. "You have a thing for men?" She whispered. No wonder Kamui kept the sausage manberry combo of a key chain, Chiaki thought in dismay. It was a shame. The discreet glimmer of hope in her burned out with a gust of cold winter air. He stopped and pulled her by the collar, forcing her to bend to his level. Abuto yelped in protest, she had unintentionally elbowed his neck. The vice-captain held her ankles securely, preventing the nurse from unceremoniously falling off his back.

"Care to repeat that?" Kamui gave her a grin reserved for those special people whose lives are limited by the second.

Chiaki pulled her torso back, but his grip was too tight. "I humbly inquired if you, by chance, which wasn't suggested by you preferring men kissing under the mistletoe, but by my own curiosity, actually prefer seeing men kissing under the mistletoe, which may or may not influence my life's choices in the near future, if I live that long." She uttered. Abuto let go of her ankles and she fell on the floor. She scuffed her arm.

"Where the hell did that idea come from?" Abuto said in disgust.

"Uhh… we hang these stuff back at home so when desperate people come 'accidentally' standing under it, they kiss." She explained.

Kamui tensed in disgust and Abuto let out a loud laugh.

"Don't be presumptuous. We hang these branches so that when two people stand under it, they can beat each other to death without having to face consequences like crying family members or revenge of the later dead man's friends. It's all for good sport." Kamui explained.

Chiaki was felt ridiculous. Abuto picked her up and shoved the box in her arms. She made a note to double check the ceiling before she walked around later.

* * *

"So…. So?" Yukiko gave Chiaki a broad grin. The nurse squinted and shielded her eyes from its blinding purity. "Sorry, I'm starting to pick up habits from those fools back outside." She could still hear their hurried footsteps as they prepared for a feast she doesn't plan to join at that evening. Chiaki turned her head back to the paper and checked the last three items.

"You did well, but you forgot to read the purine and pyrimidine parts of the book didn't you?" She said and smiled.

Princess Yukiko pursed her lips. "You only told me to study Statistics!" She explained.

"Asshole examiners do that all the time, I'm not saying I'm a butthole examiner, but you should know by now that they lie, every single one of them." Chiaki said as if sharing a secret.

"I suggest you don't go out much in these two days, the crew is celebrating their Huntmas, you might accidentally step under a branch of death and get beaten to death."

"…" The princess slumped on the bed. "Is that why you're dressed like that?" She questioned the nurse.

Chiaki was hidden in layers and layers of black cloth. "I decided to be a hobo this year." She shrugged, everybody was doing it. "I'll ask someone to give you dinner tonight, stay put." Chiaki smiled and handed her another shiver worthy tome. "It's a book for grammar structure. I'm not that well versed in language so I don't think giving you an exam for that is fair."

Yukiko squealed in delight.

"But Abuto-san always liked saying stuff like, 'don't be a stiff, it's just a quiz' so maybe I'll ask him if he has the time." She mused.

Yukiko gave a wry smile and put down the tome.

"I don't understand." She said. "I know from the first glance that you're human, you don't belong in this ship. Is Kamui-kun threatening you to work for him? Are you a prisoner too?" The princess asked.

_The only prison I am in is in his heart._

Chiaki hit her head on the table multiple times before convincing her brain that it was the lack of sleep.

"I'm not loyal to the douche. I'm slightly a prisoner…?" She frowned. "Does that make any sense to you?" She asked.

Yukiko shook her head.

"It's self-preservation." She said finally after a few minutes, but she knew that the princess was not convinced. It was the most she could say. "You'll know when you're older." The nurse stood up and went to the door. Yukiko rubbed her pretty face in frustration. "I'm 24 years old!" She yelled to Chiaki. All the nurse could do was gape and walk to the door.

* * *

The room gasped in utter horror when Chiaki entered.

She stood there looking all confused and shit.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" She asked, clutching the basket of laundry nearer to her chest. There were hushed murmurs and sharp eyes pointing to her direction. Behind the crowd, a taller prominent pink haired okama rushed his way to the nurse, not missing the opportunity to stab an unsuspecting victim or two on his way. He hurriedly spun the nurse around and hid her behind his bulky frame.

"What are you doing?" He cried on a hushed voice.

"I'm passing by to do my laundry!" Chiaki muttered back, confused of the sudden cold reception.

"No that!" Aiko snatched her red pointy Santa Claus hat she was wearing and stuffed it roughly in the nurse's laundry basket. "Do you realize what kind of trouble you have put yourself into?" He pushed Chiaki out of the room.

"Wearing that hat signifies that you are ready to sacrifice yourself for Hunta Claus." Abuto said from behind the both. He can see that Chiaki is wearing a beggar inspired costume –he approves. Nothing like looking like crap every Huntmas, he briefly pondered how was she able to make her dirty hair look so convincing. Chiaki gaped ugly then thrust the hat to the vice-captain. "I was wearing it to keep it warm, for you."

Abuto's eyebrows shot back. Then he gave her a genuine smile.

Abuto threw the hat in space later, when nobody was looking at him.

"Excuse me.." She twisted her way off them and reentered the room.

The dining hall was unrecognizable. Its walls were painted in a darker color, there were boughs of dead trees with skeletons beneath, actual live vermin scurrying at her feet, suspiciously convincing corpses under the tables and the screaming Yato hurling their bodies to one another after a faithful meeting under the mistletoe. Their fights seemed bloody and a hell lot of serious. She wondered if she should actually do her job for once and tend to the injured crew, but they seemed content on drowning themselves with liquor after a bloody match.

Chiaki saw a flash of bright orange from the far end of the hall and sighted. She could never avoid him, all she could do was to tolerate.

She passed to the side of a towering man and found herself yanked off her feet by the back of her shirt. She let out a surprised yelp and avoided glaring daggers at him.

He was large and one armed, half of his head was shaven bald, the other half was in a neat braid that stopped above his elbows. There were stylish tattoos decorating his head up to his remaining arm which was huge with muscles. He was also holding a sharp axe that glinted dangerously in the artificial light.

The man gave her a wide grin and pointed at the mistletoe above them.

Her blood froze solid. She was careful, but it was not enough.

"Do you need a weapon?" The man smiled and swung his axe.

"I-I don't fight!" She dropped her basket and raised her arms in surrender. "I can't fight!" She continued. She could hear her pulse quicken. Several passing clan members stopped to watch the commotion.

The man grunted in disapproval. "You can't say no!" He didn't scream, but she flinched anyways. He elbowed her a little and whispered.

"I'm not going to kill you, I'm just going to roughen you up a bit… but you have to put on a fight." His voice was coarse. Chiaki felt tears sting her eyes, but she nodded. It was their tradition, and judging by the sad group at the corner of the canteen –consisting of beaten up pilots, janitors and navigators- nobody was exempted from the rule. "I'll play fair." He reassured her, but the curious Yato and the unwillingness of the vice-captain and Aiko to help terrified her. She grinned in mock bravado.

"I'll also play fair then." Chiaki removed her lab gown and carefully inserted her left arm back into her oversized shirt. She knew she was going to get killed anyways. No amount of human skill could change that, she could at least do something cool first. The man furrowed his brows.

"Fairness…" She said. He laughed and she flinched at how loud it echoed in the now silent room. There was movement and she saw the Captain emerge to inspect the situation. There was a strange glint in his eyes that made her feel like she was being carefully watched. There was a ghost of a smile in his features, she ignored his face and swallowed.

The large man was smiling widely, he gestured to one of his companions and she acquired herself an axe that would be most useful is she could actually carry it with one hand like he did.

"One… two." he counted. "Three!" He charged and aimed to slam the dull edge of his weapon on her shoulder. Chiaki screamed out of instinct and dived out of the way, if she hadn't hidden her left arm, it would have been fractured. The crowd yelled in unison. Her foe's weapon imbedded itself on the steel ground. He wasted no time pulling it out. The nurse ran behind him and in a second, the handle of his weapon made contact with her stomach. She crashed through a group of Yato and they tumbled around like skittles, umbrellas scattered everywhere.

Chiaki always thought her resistance to pain was sky high. She clutched her abdomen and sniffed.

He gave her an apologetic smile and moved to kick her unconscious –it was the only way to finish a duel.

She was right.

She slapped his foot away and lashed out. Her only usable arm grabbed an umbrella. She pointed it at him and pulled its trigger.

_Click_

All was silent.

_Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click_

"What are you doing?" The man asked. Chiaki took out her other arm from her shirt and opened the bullet case. It was empty. "I was right." She said morose voice. "The gun in the parasol isn't loaded…" She threw the umbrella down.

"I wasn't trying to_ murder_ you for real out of complete fear and need to live. I just needed to reassure myself that I am skilled enough to know the weight difference of a loaded and an unloaded umbrella."

He punched her lights out.

When she woke up, Kamui's face was too close for comfort. "Hey." She said, but she winced from the sound of her voice. She was still in the exact same spot where the Yato knocked her unconscious. She could see the mistletoe hanging bitterly from the ceiling. Nearer to her face was an uncapped permanent marker, she swatted the marker off the Captain hands and tried to get up. Her head spun in effort and she conceded defeat.

"Whatever smug remark you have for me, you can keep it for yourself." She shut her eyes and let the darkness flood in.

Kamui's foot made its way on the small of her back, and then with a sharp lift successfully forced the nurse to her feet. She yelled as her vision whirled into a mix of dark colors. Chiaki blinked several times before she could make sense of what she was seeing. She glared at the Captain who cocked his head innocently to the side. The strange glint in his eyes was replaced by mirth.

"Yes, yes, weak and pathetic I know." She muttered and searched for the laundry basket. It was missing.

The Captain frowned.

She stared past him with a confuzzled look.

"Light years measure time, not distance." She squinted.

"I think you gave her brain damage!" Abuto said to his newly acquired friend from afar. Kamui was unamused; he reached a pitcher of ice cold water and poured it all over the nurse. Minutes later, he found her punching his chest, it didn't feel like much.

"I dislike your traditions!" She gave him a rather strong punch that didn't faze him one bit.

"I need to show you something." Kamui said then gestured her to follow him with two fingers. Chiaki squeezed her hair dry and remained on the spot where she was. Her stomach ached like a dislocated limb and she worried about her mild concussion. When he noticed that she didn't follow he threatened her with a cut throat grin and she obliged.

They left the eerily decorated canteen and slowly walked towards the lower parts of the ship.

"Where are we going?" Chiaki asked then clapped three times. He gave her a questioning look and she groaned internally, nobody understood her references.

"Since when did you think I regard you of little value?" Kamui asked quietly. They passed a serious looking door that needed a bunch of card and password insert to enter.

There were less people in the lower part of the ship. The crew that passed him saluted respectfully and went on with their work. They looked much more serious than the men on the top floors. She could hear the distant hum of the engines.

"What do you mean?" She wasn't sure how to answer him. _It's not that you break promises on a quarterly basis, or treat everyone like crap… Maybe that's how you … show your affections?_

"I was going to congratulate you for executing that little act without screaming like a little girl the entire time." He said petulantly. "I didn't have a 'smug remark'"

Chiaki stopped, looking a little peeved than usual.

"How am I supposed to know?" She said softly. "You're always going on and on about how pathetic I am compared you your race."

He scoffed.

"But it's true isn't it?" Kamui took a hold of her sleeve and swerved her out a mistletoe range.

"Yes, but it is unneeded." She sniffed and avoided another blasted plant on the ceiling. "We don't tell Abuto his armpit smells bad, because we pretend not to notice, we all know he spends half of his salary for deodorant that doesn't work on his potent stench because we know he can't change it, and he tries." She paused and slapped herself for giving a bad example.

"All of you know that I'm pretty much the weakest member of your crew. No training can change that. I'm not asking anyone to pretend that I'm strong. But it would help if you of all people would tone down the insults." Chiaki clutched Kamui's sleeve. He tensed at the contact, but she simply moved him to an angle so he'd avoid the giant man who was standing under a plant of death. He gave her a look, stepped in the mistletoe range and happily beat the man to a state of half death. She was gaping the entire time. Chiaki inspected the injured man, but he seemed pleased at himself and shooed her away with a string of colorful words.

Kamui stepped on another bloody man on the floor. He yelled from the pain and slipped into unconsciousness. The nurse felt like crying. She wanted to go back, but the grip on her elbow prevented her from doing so.

"Me of all people? You put value on my words?" He asked.

"Hell yes!" Chiaki announced as if it was obvious from the start.

"Then if I say that you're not weak and I don't think you're exactly a piece of yesterday's garbage. You will believe me?"

Chiaki stopped walking again. Her heart leaped. She tried to force down a smile that seemed to be too persistent from her liking. It was then that it was evident how cool and good looking her Captain seemed to be compared to her previous high school crushes that look like plebeians compared to –oh god are those dimples?

Kamui felt his chest constrict a little. Like how he ran too fast, too excited to stab someone with the pointy end of his umbrella. It was a pleasant feeling.

"I've never seen anyone live this long in my ship with your level of strength." He added as an explanation.

"All because you didn't think it would be fun to murder me in my sleep." She smiled.

"Oh no, I don't like killing women."

"Ho? Are you developing values now?"

"You're pushing my patience."

"I'm sorry."

But both of them were grinning, one looking a little red on the face.

"Women may have strong children to fight in the future." He said as he entered a dimly lighted dome like room that blew warm air. Chiaki hummed in relief as the heat warmed her icy fingers. She was bracing herself for the illness that would follow. Kamui shuffled on a darker corner then switched on the lights. The foreign machines and the clutter of the room indicated that they were in an engine room of some sorts. There was a giant fan like contraption in the furthest corner of the room, where Kamui and Chiaki was walking near to.

Beside the fan, there were about forty to fifty black socks messily taped on the wall. Each of them had names in various handwritings in torn paper glued to the socks.

"This place stinks." Chiaki covered her nose with her sleeve. Some socks had mold growing from its corners. There was a pink stocking that she guessed belonged to Aiko.

Kamui handed her a roll of tape and watched her expectantly.

"I'm wearing slippers." She wriggled her exposed toes. Her only socks were in the laundry basket, which was still missing. Kamui stared at her in disbelief. He bent down, pulled off his boot and offered his other sock.

"I can't" She refused. He snatched the tape from her arms and secured the rather clean sock on the wall. She breathed out from her nose and tore a piece of unused packaging paper from one of the machines and scribbled her name in it. She inserted the paper in the sock.

"Wait for tomorrow, Hunta Claus might give you something…" He gathered a bunch of her coat and dragged her out.

* * *

"You the Captain's whore?" Nobuo said from behind Chiaki. She pretended not to notice and walked straight ahead. Just a few feet ahead of her and she'll be in the safety of her own clinic. She held her breath.

"Don't pretend to not hear me!" He snarled.

She turned around stiffly. The now clean laundry basket secured on her arm. She almost didn't recognize the drunk. For one, he wasn't drunk at all. His dark hair was slicked back as before, but it was longer, his face was clean but the condescending smile was there. She could feel the bruise on her chin, from the knockout punch earlier, throb in a dull pain.

"No I'm not the Captain's whore." She replied with as much care as she could.

The man offered a twisted smile. "No, you're not."

"But you look a bit like one if you keep your hair that." He jeered then snatched the basket from her arms.

The nurse panicked and took a step back.

"Where's your hovel?" He asked.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Where is it?" He repeated, much irritable this time.

Chiaki pointed at a hole in the wall barely covered by a slab of metal. "That's the clinic."

He clicked his tongue and slid the basket on the floor. It spun and entered the clinic.

"…. Thanks?" Chiaki said in confusion.

"Stop looking like a whore. It ruins the Captain's image." He spat on the ground again. Nobuo grunted and rubbed the dollop of saliva on the carpet with his boot until it was unnoticeable.

* * *

"Do I look a whore?" Chiaki asked Aiko, who was busy arranging cookie skulls on the dining table. He stopped and scrutinized her face, twisting her head into angles.

"Yes, you look a bit like a whore." A girly titter and a cookie was forcibly shoved on Chiaki's mouth. She choked and partly spat the pastry. The nurse continuously slammed a fist on her chest to dislodge a stubborn piece off her throat. Within seconds, a particularly nasty looking rat bravely dodged a stampede of boots and claimed the saliva coated cookie with as much joy as can be seen on Abuto's face when he captures a rare Pokémon without using an expensive ball.

The nurse sulked.

"Here. Stop frowning, it'll give you all sorts of troublesome wrinkles." He shot a gloved hand out and snipped off her pink hair with a huge scissor that was conveniently placed beside him. Chiaki screamed in surprise and was skilled enough to dodge another snip.

"Hmmm…" Aiko rubbed his muscular chin. "You look better now."

She whacked the scissor off his hand and ran off.

"Where are you going?" Aiko said from afar. "The party is about to start!" He yelled.

"I'm not going!" Chiaki answered. She felt a hand grab her coat and she immediately removed it from her person. She was not going to be manhandled by some beefed up Yato. "Everyone has to come." Abuto threw the coat on her stomach. She doubled over in pain. "No." She winced as she tried to stand straight.

"You're speaking as if you have a choice in the matter."

"I do have a choice." She protested. "I'm going your party next year. I have more important things to finish first." She said. Abuto let out a weary sigh.

"Okay, what the hell is it?" He scratched his dirty hair.

There was a sudden bright flash that fried his retinas. He yelled in surprise and accidentally elbowed the nurse on her face. He apologized sheepishly.

"Now I'm really not coming. See you tomorrow." She walked to Aiko to collect something before leaving.

* * *

"Good morning Captain!" Abuto slapped Kamui in the back. Abuto stank of alcohol, there were bags under his eyes, but he was smiling like a fool. The Captain who spent a sleepless night kicked his subordinate right in the jewels.

Abuto tumbled and crashed face first to the ground.

He chuckled on the floor and inspected the perfectly fitted glove on his prosthetic hand. No wonder the nurse was very intent on measuring his hand. He felt proud, but his groin hurt so he felt sorry for himself as well.

"Good morning… Taichou~~~" Aiko blew a gay kiss in which Kamui dodged. He kicked the okama in the face. In a normal circumstance, the overgrown man would have allowed full access of his face to the cleated boot of his Captain. This time he deviated out of harm's reach and smiled coyly.

"A-ah~ Not this time my handsome Captain." He tapped his new shades with this pointer finger and made a pose. "It looks good doesn't it? Emphasizes my lips." He hummed at tune. "That nurse has good taste."

Kamui shuddered in disgust but kept his smile.

The Captain made his way to the lower bowels of the ship, where the splatters of dried blood reminded him of yesterday's events. He was disappointed that the nurse didn't attend their Huntmas party. When he asked his lieutenant, the okama informed him that she used the evening to treat the little shits that got themselves injured. He frowned on the inside.

The sock decorated walls cleared out save for one black sock with his name on it. He ripped the sock from its place on the wall and opened it. There was something… different this year. He threw the neon green and orange candle holders on the floor and pulled out a folded plastic sealed envelope from the sock.

There was a picture inside the envelope.

It was from the day before, taken by his lieutenant. His protruding arm indicated that he took the photo. His body was facing away from the camera, with his butt in a prominent angle. Not far from him was Chiaki, smiling widely with peace signs in both of her hands. Her fluffy pink hair was disheveled, her smile wasn't symmetrical, but it was beautiful. Beside the nurse was Abuto, who was squinting and flailing wildly, his face in an awkward pinch that made his lips look larger than it was. He was blinded by the camera's flash.

Kamui's face was unreadable.

He flipped the picture over and found girly handwriting on blue ink. It was smudged on the edges but it was readable.

"Merry Christ Huntmas, Captain! Never forget!" –Chiaki


	11. Chapter 11

"Abuto, get your ass out of bed. It's four a.m." Chiaki yelled a little louder than necessary. She clutched an oversized walkie-talkie and expected to hear static. There was muffled irritated grumbling from the other side, heard her radio's counterpart from the other side slam into the ground.

"Hey, you asked me to wake you up." She pressed the button and waited for a reply. He didn't. The nurse pocketed the device and sat on the floor.

Separating the two females from the unlivable, freezing, soundless void called space was a thick glass made specifically to separate walking, talking, living beings from the unlivable, freezing, soundless void called space. The engineering was quite unique really, took the most likely human like scientists in a technologically advanced planet _years_ to develop. Unfortunately, glass work doesn't interest us one bit, so we proceed to another detail of the story.

"I can't believe you ditched your awesome planet for that funky smelling Harusame pirate base." The nurse sniffed. Beyond the complex engineered glass was a panoramic view of space with a perfectly circular planet in the middle. A planet filled with iridescent blues and greens that would put a shame to earth's beauty –yes, it's green and blue as well, but the pollution isn't helping.

"Once I get back my father's trust. I'll escape again." Yukiko said absently.

Chiaki didn't smack her –although she wanted to.

"And marry the Captain?" Chiaki asked.

The princess smiled.

"You'll have a better chance on seducing the vice-captain." The nurse commented and sighed. The only other female on the ship was going to leave, and even though the princess irritated the wit out of her at first. Living with a bunch of male smelly pirates didn't appeal to her.

"… You can come with me if you want." The royal said.

Chiaki's eyes widened for a fraction. "Like, escape with you?" She said. She suddenly felt like going home.

"Yes. You said that you're from earth right?" Yukiko smiled. "We deal with Japan every month, exchanging goods. A ship comes and delivers people too. You can hitch a ride back home."

The nurse felt her chest constrict, she looked like she was about to say something, but stayed silent, watching the princess with glassy eyes. She opened her mouth and brought her two suddenly cold hands to her lips, silencing herself. Her throat felt unusually dry and she was _scared._

Her thoughts brought her to dark places she purposely forgot to enter.

Would, would he kill her if she escaped?

Chiaki had plans before. She wasn't stupid. She realized that she will never live long if she continued to stay on the ship. Her frequent injuries were a painful reminder of that. The nurse had planned hundreds of escape plans, each with their own faults. She could have run away many times, at many instances, when she was _out_ and walking on solid ground, when nobody's eyes were on her.

But she didn't.

She didn't have any emotional attachments to anyone –she unconsciously thought of her Captain. Were they family? Can she live without them?

Chiaki swallowed painfully. She hadn't noticed, but there were tears threatening to escape.

"Yukiko, I-"

"Yooooooo.. Chiaki I'm awake now. What's for breakfast? ... You know what? Never mind. Go to the kitchen. We steal the Captain's Galactic Pops, while he isn't awake yet. Over" Abuto's voice was barely audible, but he was happy.

On the contrary, she wasn't. They were all aware that the dirty blonde was the second to highest in terms of the seventh division. He did most of the dirty work as well. She briefly wondered, if she ran away. Would she die? Traitors and runaways were often run down. Would she impose the task to Abuto, who was nothing but a life saver –most of the time, since she got there?

"Chiaki? Are you still there? Over…"

"I'm going to be there in a few." She replied shakily.

"You alright? You sound constipated…. Are you constipated? Is there toilet paper? You need help?" He offered, but she could tell from his voice that he was wishing for her to refuse his toiletry aid.

"Shush, I'm going to go. Over and out."

Chiaki wiped her remaining tears with her sleeve.

"You should eat something before you leave, you might get hungry." She dusted herself off and observed the princess with a sad smile.

"I'm going _after _lunch. Consider my offer; you don't have to force yourself too much. We can be best friends, you can live with me for as long as you like!" Yukiko said in desperation. She refused Chiaki's help to stand and glared at the nurse stubbornly. Her smooth hands were balled into fists.

"No, really… Thank you for the offer, but there are certain things I must accomplish before getting off this ship." Chiaki lied. "We can still be best friends even if we're not together.." She was honest with that statement. The human wasn't very good at making friends, but she knew that she couldn't deny the royal. It was a first that someone was so eager to become friends with her. She liked it.

The blonde gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Why do you even do what-…. What you're doing!" She raised her arms in exasperation.

"Because I can?" Chiaki wasn't sure either.

"Is there any trouble here?"

A thin man said from behind the both. He was unusually tall, with greasy hair and yellow teeth. He had a long gaunt face that the nurse would have remembered if she had seen him before. Chiaki frowned, she would have heard him creep close to them if her emotions were under control.

"None that concerns you." The princess huffed and scowled at the stranger.

She would have disapproved of Yukiko's behavior, if only the man didn't agitate her. He gave her the feeling that can be expressed when she forgot something, or put her box of gauze on the wrong place.

"We should be going, _now_." Chiaki moved quickly. When the princess didn't follow, she grabbed her by the shoulders and urged her to walk faster. They were halfway across the room when another unfamiliar man blocked their path. He was fully bald with a silly eye patch. He was inches shorter than Abuto, but his body reminded her of a war tank.

He blocked their way by spreading both of his thick arms on the air.

Yukiko sensed danger then, she looked fearfully at the nurse who had an unwavering look on her eyes. The princess felt the room go colder.

"What's the rush?" He didn't sneer, but his tone was all condescending.

The nurse stood straight.

"I don't know what you're up to, but can you please move a little. We're going to the canteen." She said politely, pretending to be oblivious of the situation. The princess stiffened and followed her lead.

"Won't be getting anywhe-."

The nurse seized her companion by the arm and ran sharply towards the thinner Yato. He yelped in utmost surprise and with the nurse pushing him off with her shoulder, he lost his balance. Chiaki ignored him and _moved_.

The princess was slowing her down, but she persisted. "Run faster!" She yelled. They could hear a string of curses from where they came from and soon there were heavy footsteps after them. The curses exploded into yelling, there was a gunshot and someone screamed.

A corner, a meeting room and several turns later when Chiaki realized she had been the one screaming. She shut her jaw too fast that it resonated through her skull.

"What do they want?"

She let go of the princess who was running fine on her own and fumbled with the walkie-talkie she held.

There was a shout then the nurse felt a long diagonal line of pain right between her shoulders. She fell and crashed with the radio transmitter digging into her stomach. She saw Yukiko get hit by an umbrella too. The princess collapsed like a tower of blocks and was immediately in tucked under the large arm of the man with the eye-patch. She could see her struggle from his grip, but of course, he was too strong.

"What should I do with the other one?" The tall one asked.

Chiaki struggled to get up, but she felt her bones creak painfully. There was a pool of saliva gathering in her mouth, she was afraid to swallow and find out it was blood.

"It's human, she's got no value." The smaller one replied.

There was a second of silence, then the larger man tied a piece of cloth to Yukiko's mouth, silencing her screaming.

They left and Chiaki nudged the oversized radio out from under her.

"Abuto!" She whispered loudly. She heard something being poured on a glass, then there was shuffling of clothes. "Abuto!" She said louder.

"Need toilet paper? Over." The vice-captain guffawed.

She swallowed and there was no blood. "They took Yukiko… A bunch of pirates, a tall one an-"

By the gods, she could hear one of them coming back.

Chiaki stopped and stuffed the device back on her coat. She used her legs to get up and succeeded, her back hurt too much. She could hear Abuto yell on the radio, asking what was happening. She turned it off and hobbled away from where she fell.

She skinned her knee and it stung.

She clutched the cold door handle of the supplies closet and twisted it like a wrench. The door opened and the nurse slid herself in the dark room. It stank of strong disinfectant and rat droppings but she didn't notice. The nurse struggled with the lock and grinned when it gave a satisfying click. She immediately dropped herself to the ground and laid parallel to the small space between the door and the grimy floor, where a small ray of light entered in the opening. It was just a few seconds later when she saw the shadow of a person walk past her. She let out a silent breath of relief. She was safe, for now.

The room was small enough to accommodate twice length of an arm and a body from the door to the wall. Chiaki rolled carefully to the side, and then she removed her white coat –caring not to make a sound- and tucked the walkie-talkie in.

She turned it on.

The static was muffled by the coat. It was an improvement. She positioned herself so that she would have a view of the floor outside and spoke on the radio transmitter.

"Abuto. Two pirates took the Princess at the second floor basement, near the supplies closet at the west wing.." She didn't remember what she actually said, but she was trying to convey that message. The vice-captain recalled her sounding like a slobbery mess, but she liked to think that in all of those moments of danger, she was composed and shit, just like a proper pirate.

"Where are you?"

"… in the supplies closet. Hiding, because someone's out for my blood?"

"We're on it. Just… stay there I'll get to you when it's over." He responded.

Then there was gunfire on Chiaki's side of the radio, halting his yelling of orders. There was a pause from the blonde then with a short burst of commands; the loyal subordinates of Kamui darted out of the room like large black ants from their burrow.

Chiaki rolled to her side. The door that shielded her from the kidnappers was now riddled with bullet holes, allowing artificial light to poke into the dark room. There were small sharp bits of metal that stung with heat all over her face and neck –possibly door shavings. A large black shadow covered half of the protruding circles of light and she stopped moving. The man peered through the hole and studied the body on the other side of the door. It was still. He twisted the door handle, but it wouldn't budge.

With one last look, he grunted and walked away to where the other traitors were waiting.

She waited for a full five minutes.

"… I'm not dead." Chiaki whispered to the walkie-talkie. When Abuto did not respond, she lowered the device down and waited.

* * *

"Chiaki….. Oi! Chiaki!" Abuto's gruff voice echoed inside the small room. The nurse grunted and clumsily shoved the walkie-talkie away from her ear. She fell asleep.

"… are you dead?"

"No, I'm alive." She replied and winced. Her neck hurt. She slept on the cold floor in an awkward position, with her head resting on her shoulder and her face pointing to the ground. Her outstretched arm ached when she moved it.

"Where are you? Over." It was quiet from Abuto's side.

"You told me not to leave; I'm still in the closet." She wiped the pool of saliva that gathered near her mouth and forced herself to sit.

He paused and scoffed. "You mean… you didn't do some outrageous thing main characters do where they stupidly rush out and save their friend's life even when the sanest member of the group tells them to stay put?" He scratched the back of his neck in worry and kicked a person who almost stabbed his fluffy hair.

"… no? First of all, I'm not the main character… Second, I. will. DIE if I step out and start acting like some overpowered cool mofo who can beat up several people if she had the will to." Chiaki tied a handkerchief on her skinned knee. "The role of overpowered mofos are on you guys remember? I come out when there are injured people. Over." She explained and waited for a reply.

"I need you to do something dramatic that may help all of us."

"… can't someone else do it?"

"No one can get at your area at the moment"

Chiaki weighted her options. Should she do something courageous and die as a result? Or should she stay on the chemical pungent room and suffocate to death.

"Can't-"

"Just do it damn you! I'm in a pinch right now! I _want_ you to go to the main engine room –the one with the blinking lights, not the mechanical looking one and initiate lockdown! … Do you know how to? Remember those shiny red buttons you shouldn't touch when in a facility? The lockdown button is like that, only it's colored neon orange! Like a glow in the dark kind! Just go down a level and press it!" He yelled and her ear felt like it got stuffed by a large cotton ball. There was a particularly loud gunshot that made her jump. Then there was silence.

She swallowed and replied, but there was no response from the other side.

"Let us remember this to be the day, when Kurosaki Abuto made a sacrifice to promote the preservation of Sugiyama Chiaki's hearing."

"I'm not dead yet! And that's not my last name!" He complained.

Chiaki rolled the door open, she peered silently outside and crept out. The place was unusually cold.

"Gotcha."

"Just do the deed!"

"You're making it sound nastier than it actually is Kurosaki-san."

"That's not my last name!"

Chiaki rolled out of the sight of a nasty looking Yato who happened to pass by. She removed her noisy shoes, tied it to her coat and tiptoed to the map that hung on the wall. It was faded, with vandals, but it was readable. She craned her neck to assure that the long hallway she was going to walk to was empty and half-walked, half-sprinted to the stairs connecting to the engine room.

"… are you doing it already or are you still hiding on the closet?" Abuto asked. There were outrageous sounds of battle in his area, he didn't seem to mind.

Within a second Chiaki switched the walkie-talkie off and threw it into a trash can.

She was found.

She stood there, her small frame illuminated by a flash light.

There was a man with feminine features holding the light. He raised his eyebrows in suspicion. "Ibara-hime?" He asked and walked closer to the nurse. At first she didn't recognize the title, then it clicked to her that it was the stupid-ass name the Harusame pirates thought off. He was holding his umbrella in his other hand, the more dangerous end pointing at her stomach.

"Not to worry, I'm on your side." She held a surprisingly calm voice.

"Really." He sighted. "I'm so glad I'm not the onl-"

"I already checked the engine room, there is so one suspicious here. You should go upstairs; I heard that asshole vice-captain has his men ready to initiate lockdown." She said with her most authoritative voice.

"Uhh… If you say so.."

"Get out of here! It could be anyone!" She shooed the fool off and he obliged. Once gone, she popped off the trash can's cover and retrieved the walkie-talkie which was now stuck to a three week old pizza.

Chiaki ran to the blinking lights section and stopped. It was unusually dark where she was heading.

Her hand unconsciously went to her belt, where she hid her dagger/ knife thing. She frowned finding that it wasn't there. She had stopped bringing it with her, finding it too troublesome. It was irritatingly cold when it accidentally presses down on her waist. Chiaki felt a little regret not bringing it today.

The nurse tensed. She took a sharp whiff and swallowed nervously. The air smelled of blood.

"I don't think I can do it!" She whispered on the radio. It gave an unsatisfying reply of silence. She flipped it over and found the back portion totaled. Chiaki might have fixed it, but it was too dark and she had no time.

She had her own fair share of corpses in her field, but this was… She held her breath and put her shoes back on. Most of the crew had large holes on their bodies and was either on the floor or bleeding on the large machines than hummed quietly with life. She was afraid she would recognize someone, but her fear was most focused on meeting the person who caused all this.

It was really dark too.

She stumbled through piles of debris and bloodied weapons and almost slipped. The nurse accidentally looked down and let out a half yelp when she realized she had been stepping on an organ of some sorts. She avoided looking down after that.

The room was larger than she expected, and maneuvering through piles of dead people and broken machinery wasn't exactly the easy way to go through it. The 'big red button' was being elusive and she wished to be back in the closet.

"Even the ceiling has blood on it. It's impressive…" She said to the broken walkie-talkie, high quality items were a real pain to come by in a pirate ship.

Then she found it, under the armpit of some serious looking old dead dude was the glorious button. She gingerly pushed the man off the table of blinking lights and pressed it down – while making sure to have avoided looking at his dead face.

For a minute, nothing happened. Then all the lights shut down from room to room. No lightbulb was spared, she was completely engulfed with a suffocating kind of black that crept under her skin. After seconds in the unmoving embrace of the lightless room, she felt the entire floor give one sharp totter and then there was light.

It was dim and barely enough to outline the dead around her, but it was better than nothing. Outside was a chaos in the form of angry red lights and repetitive sirens that she could only imagine happening in the movies. Her face twisted uneasily. Aside from the sirens, it was very, very quiet.

Chiaki picked her way slowly avoiding the strewn up corpses as much as possible. She knew it wasn't over yet. When there was no sight of floor and she had no choice, she hurriedly ballerina jumped over the bodies. She tried not to breathe.

"You're the nurse?" Nobuo emerged from the dark. He was clean, aside from his boots that soaked of blood and gore. It wasn't a question, although it sounded like one.

"Crap." She hissed and almost slid uncontrollably on the damp floor.

"Wait! I'm with the Captain! I went here to lock the entire ship." He stepped forward, but the nurse clumsily stepped away. She couldn't trust anyone yet. "Did you lock the ship?" He asked pointedly. She swallowed and gave him a curt nod.

"That's really brave." He noticed the mess around him and looked away instantly. He loosened the scarf around his neck and gave her a sheepish grin. It didn't look right on him. "Do you know who murdered all of these people?" He asked innocently.

She blinked and shook her head. "I need to leave." She said immediately. She turned, wanting to rush to the stairs meters away from her. He cleared his throat and stared.

"How do I know you're not one of the traitors?" He asked and gave her a sly grin. "You have to convince me… I don't believe you."

_Asshole.._ the nurse thought and felt her feet go cold.

**"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" **Abuto's voice erupted from the speakers. Although he tried to sound cool and hippy, it was flat and neutral. **"As we all know, it's only four thirty am but alas…. We are under attack by some traitors whom we found is led by our own disloyal Nobuo-san and his followers. If you want to go back to your beauty sleep –not that it helps anyway. Go on a murder rampage first. On the meantime, while you brandish your umbrellas in excitement, enjoy this overly loud opening theme song of K*ON… Kill them all."**

Chiaki's eyes widened.

**"Oh and, Captain? Where the hell are you? You're missing out all the fun!"**

"Oops." Nobuo said, kicking off a corpse from the metal floor. He inspected his bloody boots and smirked. "I guess I'm caught."

He lifted his head cooly and deadpanned. The only trace of the nurse was her continuously disappearing shadow. She was gone from his sight, her silhouette running on the stairs to the upper floors. He could hear the terrified pitter patter of her footsteps gradually being muffled by the ridiculously loud sirens. The traitor grinned, it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting.

Chiaki was seconds away from the end of the staircase when Nobuo's foot collided with her back.

The result was cataclysmic. There was a torrent of pain that smashed through her skull and she flew off, back to the bottom of the stairs. Chiaki didn't scream.

The man stepped down the stairs with a satisfied look on his face.

"This is where your decisions led you." _To your death._ His smile wasn't mocking, it was slightly edging on pity, but he had to do his job. He was a Yato after all, and her act of mingling with his plans would cause damage. Unfortunately for him, even when it was the high time where he was supposed to offer some sagacious advice that would change her outlook on life, forever. With the high possibly to redirect the nurse's thinking into siding with him, providing certain promises of not completely killing her. She wasn't listening; she was too busy writhing in pain, for the pink haired individual was human, and humans were, compared to them weak as hell.

"What do you say?" He said smugly it was the ending of his life changing diatribe and persuasion of her changing loyalties. She was a good healer, no matter how weak she was, it was a silent agreement they all had.

Chiaki was pissed.

He must be a fool, she thought, to let her recover. The man had been an idiot, running his mouth and making strange expressions, his hands moving everywhere, as if making a speech of some sorts.

Her shoes had cleats.

With a roar, the nurse slammed her heel on his knee. There was a loud snap and she fell back into agony. She had no chance against an experienced fighter. He lifted his umbrella and nodding to one last horrified look from the nurse, he brought it down and Chiaki _screamed._

**"Nobuo-san…. Nobuo-san…. Where are you?" **The voice was smoother, more refined, and much more dangerous. Chiaki felt exceptionally heavy, lead like, too tired for limbs and the sensations was increasing by the moment. The pain roared under her skin, reminding her of life, she grabbed onto it.

**"You've been a coward you know? Hiding from me." **His voice was everywhere. In parts of the ship, fighting ceased. She noticed his speech and smiled.

**"Found ya."**

Kamui landed softly where the nurse lay. She lifted her head and stared up to him with a slightly peeved expression –not that she meant it. He pretended not to notice her.

Maneuvering leisurely, Kamui, being the practical human looking alien he was, bashed Nobuo's teeth in.

He yelled with a mouthful of blood and charged.

Chiaki, whom normally disapproved upon savage battles was watching carefully from the sidelines. She cursed softly, why wasn't she put in a much more convenient position? Her neck ached when she tried to look at them, and moving her body was an impossibility at the moment.

There wasn't any of her own blood on her body. But her ankle numbed with pain, suggesting she wouldn't be leaving the ground any time soon. Not forgetting the immense stripe of absolute agony running from her clavicle to her waist, she was peachy. The nurse briefly wondered if she was the luckiest unlucky fool in the entire universe and what the hell was keeping her alive anyway?

Eyes shut and barely breathing, she made herself content with the listening of battle. It was not a comforting ambience.

There was the sound of flesh tearing flesh, and the once living form of Nobuo was slammed bloody beside the vulnerable form of the nurse. His arm was missing, but that was not the factor that gave her nightmares in the future. His mouth was gaping wide –some teeth on the back of his throat–, she could see some of his fillings. The man's eyes were rolled back and his head was barely attached to his torso.

Kamui laughingly observed his work.

She closed her eyes immediately.

There were light footsteps and he was standing above her. His face was decorated with blood, but he was looking okay. The warrior pirate captain was _very_ pleased with himself.

Chiaki wasn't moving.

For a moment he assumed that the human nurse had the vitality of a, well, human. He slowly nudged his bloody toe on her warm check. Her eyes shot open, accidentally looked at Nobuo's dead face and cringed.

"I'm not dead." She announced in a flat tone and swatted his blood coated foot away.

He blinked and his lips quirked up to an amused smile. He walked off her body. "I'm surprised you can stand to be here after all that." He gestured to slightly foul smelling lower floor, and the traitors corpse.

_"Well, as you can see, I'm not standing"_ Chiaki didn't say that instead, "If I were you, I'd move my butt, cause I'm this close on puking all over your pretty clothes."

He scoffed and without warning, grabbed her left hand to pull her off the ground, which was a mistake, because she screamed in agony and immediately slapped his hand off.

"Don't, _don't_ touch me." She said hurriedly. _"Yet"_ She finished. "I can't stand, let me just stay here for a while longer." Pain that once subsided fired through her nervous system, making her tear up. She was breathing heavily and the thick smell of blood in the air didn't assuage its difficulty. She knew she was fine, there were no bones broken, no organs punctured but she needed time to stay still, even when it meant lying down for another thirty minutes alongside _that, _bleeding monstrosity beside her.

He crouched down beside her.

"And I think there are more of his men that you'd be overjoyed to fight" _–to kill. _She swallowed. "You'd enjoy yourself better upstairs. Abuto-san is looking for you as well."

He brightened up a little, like a child at Huntmas, but he didn't move.

"I'll be _fine._" She insisted, although deep down, she wanted him to stay. "I'm the medic remember." She flashed him a grin.

He gave her a curt not. "I'll get you back when it's over, meanwhile, pretend to be dead." He said.

"Aye." She saluted.

She watched him stand and walk a little. He stopped and went back to her. "Actually." The captain said. "It would be better if you were downstairs…. Are you sure your injuries are superficial?"

"…" She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Yes." She replied.

Kamui, being the gentleman he was, abruptly shoved his foot under her back –Chiaki screaming in protest the entire time– and used it to hoist her up and kick her down the blood stained stairs. He watched her, with a smile, roll down like a barrel to the bottom floor and crash to one of the more disfigured bodies. She didn't move after that, but he trusted her, it seemed like she too had cockroach level vitality. Had she gained that habit from her extended stay in his ship, he didn't bother knowing, but those who battled alongside with him noticed that he was sadistically happier than the usual.

* * *

_What the–_

_…_

_Was… was it a dream?_

"It's not a dream you fuckwit."

Chiaki's eyes hardened. There was something comforting seeing the ceiling of your own bedroom/clinic/hovel after a disastrous event. Allowing the hope for rapid conclusions such as, "Well, ahahahhaa, It's just a dream after all." or "I should stop drinking." Unfortunately for a certain pink haired individual, such conclusions were easily disapproved by factors such as; she never drank anything close to a shot and that Abuto, whom she never wanted to see ever again, was bandaging her foot. There was a close feeling of stabbing yourself to death when waking up from a sadistic captain's sadistic act of rendering you unconscious via staircase roll and seeing his subordinate's face first thing while at it.

"Don't be so mean." There was a cut at his eyebrow, making him look cooler than normal.

"I even did all the nursing the crew back to health since you were unable to." Abuto snapped her foot back to its proper place.

Chiaki would have screamed and ripped his hair off until he had bald spots all over his fat head, but she was not in the damn mood. She was pissed. It wasn't even 7 am.

"Abuto-san." She said with a voice filled with wisdom beyond her years. He raised his eyebrows, signaling her to continue.

"Have you ever considered cutting your hair, I mean, getting bangs? I know you are only 33 years old, but you look like fifty with that mane of yours, I gave scissors at the comfort room."

He was not amused.

"What's with the sudden interest on my hair, eh?" He said incredulously, grabbing his brownish goldish locks with his prosthetic arm. When he saw her look he understood, for Abuto, in reality, possessed wisdom beyond his years, not the fake kind Chiaki pretended to have when she wanted to fuck around with people's heads. "What is it, really?" He propped his chin on his arm and wriggled his eyebrows in a speed of 20 miles per hour.

Chiaki blanched in horror.

"It's nothing." She pushed his face away with her bandaged hand. She was going to ask something super important that would probably make the older man cry, but she decided against it. She would confront her problems from the source.

When Abuto didn't give, she told him to go eat something vaguely unpleasant and leave her hovel with an unnecessary word synonymous to copulating in the most unpleasant spirit on consonant substitutions. He merely laughed and told her that she was becoming a genuine pirate.

"Thanks for bringing me here." She said at last.

Abuto smiled.

"Thanks also, if it weren't for you, the princess could have been shipped off to some dealer who'd sell her to her parents for a higher price, thus removing our income for the month." Chiaki was glad to hear that her friend was fine. She also felt a little selfish for forgetting about Yukiko and focusing only on her needs.

She looked at Abuto expectantly.

He scrunched his eyebrows in disgust.

"Heh, we would have taken her back with or without your help, you just made the process faster." Because he was a douche.

"It wasn't me who brought you here though." He grinned ear to ear. It didn't look good on him.

With a slier grin he whispered, "It was the _Captain._"

Before Chiaki could egg him for more details, a relatively unharmed Princess Yukiko burst into the room with mascara tears all over her cheeks. She was unusually dressed, and her hair was perfect. The nurse lifted her head up to greet her and cried in pain when the princess decided that it was best that she slammed herself on Chiaki's chest.

"Careful!" Chiaki winced in pain.

"Oh gods, I'm sorry!" She removed herself immediately.

"It's just a couple of bruises, stop overacting." Abuto cleared his throat.

Chiaki shot him a look.

On the –oh my god, finally it's fixed– clinic's doorway, Kamui stood there silently. He was munching noisily on a few crackers.

Yukiko was crying. "The ship has arrived on my planet. Chiaki, I need to go now. Come with me please."

Chiaki swallowed. The room was in silence. She rubbed her hands together and pursed her lips. She looked at Abuto who was staring back at her questioningly, and Kamui who had nothing but a blank expression on his face. Her heart felt a little too heavy for her liking.

"It's not up to me to decide." She said quietly. Brown eyes wandered to heavy blue ones.

"Everyone, _out._" The captain said.

Abuto knew that tone. He immediately jumped from his foldable chair and yanked the princess off the room. He left the clinic in an instant, shutting the sliding door with a click. Chiaki watched the chair flop noisily on the floor; it rolled forward, only to be stopped by Kamui's foot. He took his time, unfolding it and sitting down beside her. She suddenly felt very squeamish.

He looked disappointed.

"You're going to say 'I don't belong here.' Right?" Kamui snapped a cracker in half.

Chiaki was motionless.

"You kicked me down the stairs." Chiaki said.

"You're also going to say, 'I want to go home' or 'I will die here soon if I don't. This is proof of that.'" He replied.

"You're eating my cracker. I've been saving that since last week." Her voice was wavering.

"I'm not done yet." His voice was strangely calm. "Inside, you wish to say 'I miss my family, let me _go. _Unlike you, monsters, I'm _normal_.'"

She didn't have anything to say for a bit.

Instead, she pulled herself up slowly to stare at him equally. Now that she had a good look on him, he was slouching. He was clean, but he still smelled faintly of blood. She felt her throat tighten and her toes went cold.

"Oh please, I'm far from normal." Chiaki laughed and twitched at how foreign it sounded, at how loud it was. She folded her legs back and beamed. "You should have been there when I ballerina jumped over those corpses. I even struggled to get my form correct. I was afraid but…" She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Are your habits rubbing off me?"

Kamui's face was unreadable.

"Do you _want _to leave?" He asked. There was that god-awful feeling on his chest again, burning him from the inside.

"I want to leave because I know if I don't, I will not live until thirty five." She wasn't finished yet. "But if I leave, I will go back to my old life, which was good, but not as happy as this one." Her sentence ended with a question. Chiaki groaned and slapped her palm on her forehead. Maybe she wasn't making much sense. She didn't know.

"You're making this too easy for me." He remarked.

There was a small sigh of relief between the two of them, and she couldn't help but smile too much.

"What do you mean?" She knew what he meant.

"I mean…" His lip quirked and his eyes shut. "I don't have to say embarrassing lines like, I'm not the kind of person to sacrifice my entertainment for the happiness of others… or something equally disgusting as that." There was shuffling outside the door and some inaudible noise, which was abruptly put to a stop by Kamui shooting deadly bullets out of his conveniently held umbrella. There was a muffled sound and Chiaki swore it sounded like a body dropping dead from the inside. She smiled nervously.

_One more thing._ Kamui thought. "If you were given a choice, would you leave?"

The answer was immediate. "Of course I would leave. Self-preservation goes first."

"If I swear that you will not find yourself dead if you pledge your allegiance to me, will you not leave my side?"

Chiaki stared wordlessly at him for the longest of times. Kamui looked strangely attractive than normally so. Was she turning blind? Was it because she invested too much time sitting in the dark tapping away at her Gameboy? Damn you Nintendo!

"… can I have bottle of hair conditioner every month?" She was starting to get jealous of their silky hair.

It was of course, a simple feat for someone of his rank. He nodded to the desperate human and she rejoiced. There too seemed to be an unwanted act of rejoicing by undesirable eavesdroppers and the strongest of the Yato shot them dead, shot Abuto dead, but Abuto was somewhat of an important character. So he missed. Purposefully, mind you.

* * *

"I'll write to you, every week!" The nurse said. Her new friend handed her a paper with her address in beautiful handwriting. Yukiko smiled weakly. Her planet was always windy; the princess disliked the wind, although today, she didn't even notice it. They were at the harbor of her planet. Beyond the mile of a wooden bridge were her subjects waiting for her, barely contained by a number of elite guards from her castle. Yukiko's parents were smiling sweetly behind her, especially the father, who handed sacks of gold to Abuto, who was pleased with himself.

"You better!" Yukiko said incredulously. She wrapped her arms around the nurse and hugged her lightly, she was mindful of her injuries.

The wind carried Yukiko's purple hat to the ocean below them, no one bothered fetching it.

"We have to go!" Abuto yelled. His cloak was already stolen by the harsh wind, and his shirt was getting blown off by it.

"Be polite to your parents, pass that friggin entrance exam! DON'T RUN AWAY ANYMORE. I will visit!" Chiaki waved off as a frustrated Abuto hauled her back into the ship.

….

Chiaki's cheek was pressed to the glass separating her from the unlivable, freezing, soundless void called space. Her injured, tired, body was leaning against it. She watched as Yukiko's planet shrink back into a tinier and tinier ball. Until it was nothing but a star.

* * *

Chiaki lay amid the prickly grass of the local Kabukicho park, far from the chatter of excited children and their evidently impatient parents being dragged by the mentioned little shits. The uncomfortable patch of grass she positioned herself in attracted a few choice visitors. There was a time when she spotted a rare specimen, a sandy haired Shinsengumi officer with an amusing sleeping mask strapped to his forehead. He was searching for something –someone maybe. He saw her studying him with an amused look and forced her off with a threat regarding some kind of made up law for his own convenience and settled on her spot.

There were other far more unusual sights, a naked gorilla, a vagabond wearing nothing but a large tangerine printed carton, and a genetically mutated dog which was unusually large and fluffy white which took a crap anywhere it pleased.

This time, she was alone, under the pleasant warmth of the sun. Her eyes followed a bird, flying too fast for its flock to follow.

She closed her eyes.

She remembered running away from her parents, running away from college, she remembered defiance and the looks her relatives shot her at every event they could. Her father's patience wore thin, and she ran further.

"You have to anticipate where those choices will take you." The doctor on the old run down clinic back home said when she arrived one night, her eyes puffy with crying. The day after that, two Amanto robbed her away.

Her heart thumped loudly and the warmth of the sun morphed into cold that seeped into her bones. The grassy patch smoothened and turned into sheets. Distant laughter of children drowned into the steady hum of an air vent –providing marginally fresher air–the park disappeared and all she could see was four metal walls of her room back in the pirate ship. She lifted her eyes to the pink cat themed clock, given by Aiko-chan in Huntmas- nailed to the wall that read 11:47 pm.

It was too damn cold and something was missing.

A few minutes later, while she was trying to coax herself into sleeping with a cup of hot water, someone rapped the door with an umbrella.

She blinked lazily and called out to the unwanted guest.

"Shigeru-san, I sent a letter to your room this afternoon. Come back tomorrow, my hand still hurts, I can't remove your molar." The crazy schedule was not made by her. They _insisted_ on late night operations, where barely anyone was awake, because apparently, it was a little shameful to visit her humble clinic. She preferred them not visiting at all.

To her utter surprise, the door slid open. In her panic, she recoiled from the bed and reached out painfully to the knife on her desk. (Not under the pillow, that's too dangerous) Her mug flew off her hands, splashing scorching water all over her bed and on the floor.

Kamui was peering at her curiously from the doorway.

She sighted in mild relief and dropped the knife on the floor. She immediately removed herself from the bed and used the drier parts of her blanket to wipe some of the water off her shirt.

_The hell do you want?_

"Um, can I help you?" She stood up and squeaked when her foot made contact on the freezing floor. She had forgotten to wear slippers and hurriedly shoved her feet into them, while effectively staring at her amused captain with as much eyebrow raised effect as she could muster.

"I need to show you something." He said offhandedly, because he was rotten bastard.

"Eh, sure" was the sleepy reply. She couldn't really deny him now, can she? Chiaki's cloudy mind made up scenarios where she will get dragged out without her precious anti-hypothermia lab coat and turn into an icicle half way through him pulling her by the foot. She fixed her bed first, roughly brushed her hair with her fingers and wore the coat.

She fidgeted when he observed her with those calculating eyes. She furrowed her brows in confusion and stared at him back, with eyes in unamused slits.

"What now?" She asked a little rudely.

The captain chuckled and she could easily see that he was forcing down a smile.

She squinted further; this time bending to his direction, trying hard to decipher what the hell was he seeing.

Kamui lazily stepped forward, Chiaki twitched and took a step back, but his strides were greater. Within a few moments, he was directly in front of her. The nurse swallowed hard and tried not to squirm. Her hand was unconsciously inching back, to the knife on the floor. His eyes flashed _something, _but she was too intimidated to actually open her eyes wide and see.

He bent down and she felt his warmth crawl to her skin.

"Wear pants before we go out."

He was a pure bred gentleman, really, totally unlike those country bumpkins of, _labor slaves_, SUBORDINATES he collected through the years. Thus, as all gentlemen do, they face back when a woman decides to put on, or remove clothing. In this case, the nurse was barely a woman, so he made himself at home, munching on what's left of her food while she put on some pants in her cabinet. Which was barely enough space to change clothes in.

Why not the comfort room you ask?

Well, she wanted to avoid the awkwardness of accidentally seeing the vice-captain taking a shit in her sanitized toilet. (Because it was totally better than the public latrines in the ship, and his personal comfort room was too far anyways.) It scarred her for life and she had avoided entering that place without initially throwing a smoke bomb in the slits of the comfort room's door. While waiting for either complete silence, (indicating the vacancy of the place) or a girlish scream, a flush and a blur of dirty blonde and black dashing off like he was going to lose a part of his salary.

She had stocks of those hockey puck shaped bombs from the weapons room.

It would take too long to do that.

"I'm done." This time, she had made sure that everything was in place. Chiaki could do nothing but frown as the remaining pack of cookies she received get eaten away by some salmon haired alien.

He smiled and clapped his hands once in satisfaction.

Soon enough, the pair was walking through a deserted hallway through a familiar part of the ship.

The silence was in a way, pleasant for the both or them, until he broke it.

"… Chiaki." He said. He was still getting used to it, her name sounded strange when he said it.

The nurse stopped from behind him. "Just say it." She felt like it was time to release her no bullshit policy in full force. Her sight was getting blurry from the need to sleep, and bright light still fried her eyes.

"I promised that you will not die, but I never promised to protect you. It was never our agreement that you will lose a limb or two in the process. Am I clear?"

Her limbs felt like dropping in exhaustion, but even that thought was pushed to the side. She briefly wondered if she said something wrong. She sighed softly, thinking she was to blame. "Did I say something?" She murmured.

The Captain furrowed his brows lightly then realized what he implied. "Ah, no, I was just making it clear for the both of us."

"…oh" Chiaki expected it. It wasn't like he was the pope or anything, being the representative of honesty and virtue. He was a pirate. She partly expected something like this to happen, but the promise was good enough. He promised for her to live while she served him. She thought of Abuto, who lost his arm, and Aiko, who lost … most of his humanity? She felt like it was the right choice to agree to him, that the other option would make her regret going home.

"I already knew from the start, but thanks for clarifying." She gave him a smile, but he knew she wasn't up to it. _Please don't forget about the conditioner thing…_

He raised an eyebrow.

Chiaki sniffed.

"You're a murderer, pirate, thief. Just some qualities to assure me that your word is a hundred percent free from loopholes like _that_ one." She didn't mean for it to be offensive, but he took offense nonetheless.

"You think so little of me." He could have snarled if it was his character, but it wasn't.

She scoffed and feign bravery. "… but it's true isn't not? You just said that it's below you to pro-"

"We need to have more trust in this relationship, nurse." Kamui said too quickly for the both of their liking.

_"OOOOOHHHhhhhHHhhh!~!" _Aiko couldn't resist himself. He was following the pair eons ago. The okama was behind an oversized pillar shaking his ass like there was no tomorrow. When he saw his Captain's expression twist into peeved to pure murder, he felt a satisfying chill creep up his spine. From a nifty looking umbrella holder, Kamui unsheathed a weapon and shot the man to death.

Chiaki could only silently scream as the tanned man fell to the floor with foam bubbling rapidly from his mouth. She motioned to run to the aid of the okama when Kamui held her wrist to stop her. There was a moment of terrified brown eyes meeting calm blue ones, then:

"He will live." He said to assure her.

Aiko, still face down on the floor, lifted a manicured hand and gave her a thumb up.

Whatever irritation he had felt against the nurse disappeared. Shooting someone to quasi-death was the most rejuvenating method that erased all stress, according to The Yatoclan Telegraph, he had proven it correct.

"That is why I wanted to give this to you." He handed the nurse a parasol. A _pink_ parasol.

"It's the version of our weapon, only for women and young children to use." He watched her inspect it carefully. "It's also considerably lighter than what we use… I expect you to practice on your own." She loaded and unloaded the gun with deft fingers and smiled at him.

She could not imagine hugging Kamui, nor giving him a high five. As a solution, she held out her hand and he shook it, his pale calloused hands covered her cold small ones. It wasn't satisfying, but they had reached _something_ that wasn't entirely heading for the friendship route.

A slight tremor broke whatever moment they shared. There was a small happy tune from the unseen speakers followed by a, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at the Harusame base. Local time is 12:39 am and the temperature is two degrees Celsius.

"So… what did you want to show me?" She asked after being satisfied that Aiko was okay.

"There has been word that there's a group of samurai currently in the base, I believe they call themselves the Kiheitai."

Honestly, if Chiaki wasn't too engrossed on her newly acquired weapon. She would have shown some decency and pretended to act all surprised. The nurse didn't give a rat's ass who the Kithewhat was and why they were at a Pirate base. She didn't have a single clue even why she was dragged out there in the freezing Harusame base filled with nosy pirates and smelly old men. Didn't the captain have Abuto for that? Where was he even?

"Nice." was the lame reply.

"Samurai, _Humans, _your _race_, in this ship, with your culture, _food_ and they're from _Japan._"

She quirked a little when he mentioned food, her lack of response and sudden penchant on stroking her magnificent umbrella unnerved him. He was so sure that she would feel happy, maybe show him one of her smiles, talk to those pink monke- _humans_ and maybe become best friends with an actual female and not Abuto.

"… Are you going to fight them?" She asked.

He would have slammed his forehead with hers, but there was a chance that it might kill her and not just render her unconscious. He would not feel pleased to drag her corpse back.

"I thought you could spend a little more time with them and form a small peace between our divisions, humans are, troublesome. I would want them out of my way when I start gunning out the big fish." He reasoned, and she would have shot him right between the balls if she had the actual strength. She gaped at him like a gold fish the made an incredulous sound.

"Captain!" She exclaimed dramatically. "I understand that you of all people can rise to a rank like … like _this_ and not look like some lecherous, half bald man with a handful of scantily clad women clinging onto him like he's made of gold. Do you have _any_ idea how gross and terrifying mafia dons are especially if they are Pirate Mafia Dons?" Her point was pretty much solid. There was no way she was going to interact with some overweight balding old man who probably has half of his teeth made of gold.

She shivered and pleaded, but there was no sympathy on the Captain's smiling face.

"Yo, _yo_, what's the fuss all about?" Abuto said lazily from behind the two. There was an attractive woman from planet blond bombshells clinging onto him. He stroked her chin and gently pried her leg and arms off his body then he talked to her in a foreign language. She giggled and bounced off.

Chiaki was gagging. Kamui puked a little. He stared at them blankly as a wave of vomit washed off a number of screaming aliens in the spacious dome they were in.

When they were both satisfied. The nurse complained. "The Captain's forcing me to… hang out… with some human pirate group." She said gently. Kamui crossed his arms and the vice-captain had no idea what the problem was.

"People of the same race should stick together. I don't think you'd have any pro-"

"Pardon my interruption." A certain human lolicon said excitedly from behind the trio. He had a weird hairstyle with large almond shaped eyes that would make children make a run for their mothers. Takechi Henpeita, the strategist of the Kiheitai.

"What is it?" Kamui said to the human. He regarded the Captain with a nod and focused on the young on vulnerable Chiaki.

"Excuse me, young lady, but I can't help but notice that you are at your, _peak._"

There was complete silence. Both of the male Yato stared at Henpeita who has both of his hands right on her shoulders. His face was too close for comfort. She could have sworn she saw his nostrils flare as if he was trying to smell her.

Soon enough, Kamui was kneeling to the ground while happily reforming the lolicon's face, who was on the ground, with his fists when some blue-green homo sapien with pimp shades butted in.

He was saying something like "I daresay, you blah _blah __**blah!**__ Daresay_ motherfucker." It might have been much more refined, knowledgeable and attention worthy, but he wasn't paying attention. Abuto needed to haul the Captain by his cape and chide him about bad habits before he calmed down.

"Apologize." Abuto grunted. Kamui kicked him in the face.

Seconds later, he faced the man named Kawakami Bansai and gave the slimy pimp shades the most innocent smile he could muster. Which was him having all teeth shown, eyes blazing with bloodlust while cracking his knuckles for sound effects, Abuto may or may have been expressing some impressive knife sharpening skills in the background to support his Captain.

"I heard you Samurai were a beast in battle, I couldn't resist trying out some of my new moves." He said, Abuto might have screamed something in the back about him having bad habits, and Chiaki might also have nodded in approval, but their actions were unimportant.

"I see, I'm sorry to have disappointed you." Kawakami Bansai bowed respectfully, he would have loved to jump at the opportunity and bash Kamui's face in, but he needed to compose a song for Otsu and the deadline is at sunrise. He barely had hours left. "But I assure you that you will be not disappointed the next time you fight one of us." He kicked Takechi twice for good measure and dragged his bloody corpse away.

* * *

"Are you sure it was a good idea doing that?" Abuto flicked a lump of earwax at an unsuspecting passerby. They were all heading back to the ship, Abuto a little too happy with his little tryst with the bombshell, Kamui pleased to have shed some blood and Chiaki, perched on the vice-captain's shoulders ,was staring at nothing in dire horror. As if something traumatizing had happened.

"I'm _never_ leaving the ship again." She hugged his skull too tight.

"They can't do anything to me." Kamui remarked.

"What about your peace-"

"Shut up Abuto." The captain felt unsatisfied, he knew he should have punched that Henpeita in the jewels as well.

"I should have whacked him with my baby as well." Chiaki, sensing Abuto's discomfort hugged her umbrella instead, whose end slammed against his face, leaving a horrible red mark. She felt somewhat useless to be standing there earlier.

Kamui raised an eyebrow at her and forced down a small smile. The days were getting shorter and even if nobody talked of the topic. They all felt that something was coming. He knew the superiors were starting to get suspicious of the seventh division. He studied his two companions who were bickering about proper placement of an umbrella when one is sitting on a man's shoulders. His eyes moved to his bloody fists wiped them with the underside of his uniform. It doesn't matter, he thought. Soon enough, he will destroy them nonetheless.


	12. Chapter 12

_To Chiaki, head medic of the seventh division, Harusame_

_Guess what? All that statistical knowledge you forced into my head was useless when I took that entrance exam. I wish you were here for me to say 'ha!', for me to tell you that, 'I'm right and you're wrong!' Unfortunately, even I can say that a number of those horrible textbooks actually helped me. I passed with flying colors. Mum is very proud._

_For that I thank you._

_How are you? I'm not going to share how good my life is. You can suffer inside that seedy clinic of yours while I bask under the light of our suns. It shall do me good to imagine that you're feeling bad for not accepting my generous offer. But if you really want to, it still stands. A knock in the palace and you will be welcome. _

_I took your advice and researched about that Prince Hata you were telling me about._

_I say, he's one dashing fellow._

_I'm going to meet him next week. On a collector's expo at a neighboring planet, I hope you're jealous. _

_Princess Yukiko_

Chiaki carefully folded the letter and inserted it into her pocket. _The hell…_ she thought.

The nurse wiped of the sweat from her brow and grimaced when she heard another sickening crack. The group of Yato who were noisily cheering for their own champions yelled louder as a mangled body flew and slammed at a nearby stack of pointy weaponry. The Yato cheered and pumped their fists in the air. Soon the group parted as the one armed vice-captain emerged victorious from the middle. He smiled as he received a bowl overflowing with rolls of cash.

She waited patiently as the rest of the men congratulated Abuto for his victory. When the crowd dispersed, she walked to the man and gave him a sweet smile.

"I'm not going to teach you how to use that. You're supposed to learn on your own." He gestured to her disgustingly pink umbrella and drank a glass of water empty. He was wearing a worn down shirt with its sleeves ripped off, the hair on his pits were exposed. A memory from the previous fight flashed through Chiaki's mind as she remembered the poor man being suffocated in his deepest bowels of torture, also known as Abuto's armpits.

Chiaki shivered and offered him another glass, which he gladly finished.

"No amount of pleading will change your mind?" She asked hopefully.

"Nope, teaching you would be time consuming and the results will be unsatisfying, even for someone who is as patient and as kind as I am." Abuto was her friend, but he was sometimes a dick.

"So, you're only my friend when it's convenient for you, huh?" _Jackass, I'm just asking for tips yo! _She crossed her arms.

Abuto though it would be best to pat her head with his remaining arm. "No, I'm just saying that trying to study our fighting style _now_ would be a waste. It takes _years_ for someone to learn the basic and another ten years to lay a finger on me. And I'm referring to a prodigy." He wasn't trying to reduce her confidence to a mere dust particle, he was wise and he knew human limitations. It still pissed her off.

"There must be a ton of prodigies walking around then." She said bitterly.

"Hey!"

"I put laxatives on that water."

She watched him stare at her confusedly for a second before curling into a tight ball of pain, then running off to the nearest restroom.

_Fucker._

* * *

"Sorry, Chiaki." Aiko squeezed out his lips and applied an alarming amount of gloss.

"I can't help you with that. I just can't. You know I'm a lover, not a fighter." With his thumb and index finger, he fashioned the tip of his hair into a perfect curl. The okama bent down and reached for a frilly pink boa and hung it around his neck.

"I only need tips." Chiaki pleaded. She could shoot but it was not enough. The ship and the base were swarming with pirates, rapists and pedophiles that would attack her at any chance they could get. This was her opportunity to fight for her own.

Aiko shoved a cookie on her mouth. Then he proceeded to lace up his shiny leather boots.

"I've seen you fight." Chiaki swallowed the pastry. "You can kick ass!"

"I'm _really _sorry and I have these newly manicured nails, oh, no."

_But you're not sorry enough._

"It's okay." She said blankly, twirling her weapon. Chiaki hopped down from the chest she sat on and politely left the room. Aiko's eyes followed the nurse worriedly. He was expecting another thirty minutes of ruthless begging. Maybe she was just not in the mood, maybe she was busy.

"By the way, you were using my glue stick on your lips." The nurse said to no one in particular and Aiko's 300 dollar lip gloss was flushed down the toilet.

* * *

Chiaki rubbed her arms. She huffed and groaned miserably when her breath materialized as a puff of steam. It was too damn cold.

It was always too cold.

But she had no choice.

She rolled her sleeves up and secured a strap of rubber tightly around a middle aged Yato sitting on a chair. She held another thick dark strap and succeeded on immobilizing the trembling man. She walked around the dental chair and spun a rope tightly on his torso. He tried to twist his way out, but it was useless. Chiaki smiled and began taping the man on the chair, being sure to put extra tape on his hands and feet.

"Is- is this really necessary?" He asked nervously.

"Every time we do extractions back where I came from, we always have to validate that the patient is completely immobilized… this is your first extraction, am I correct?" She washed her hands, taking extra care to follow the proper aseptic technique.

"Yes, it's my first."

"So you do understand to put all your trust on me, right?" Her voice was angelic.

"Roger." He grimaced.

She gave him a small smile then pushed his head down the dental chair. Chiaki inserted her hands smoothly on a pair of sterile gloves and picked up something that resembled tongs. She watched the man with pity. Normally, she would have given him a hefty dose of anesthesia, unfortunately, they were out. The next stock would not be coming until the week after that day.

"One"

She clamped the rotting tooth tightly between the tongs.

"Two"

She twisted it back and forth.

"Three"

The tooth got yanked off its socket.

The man _screamed_. Chiaki dived to her right, sliding under a table with ease that can only be found in months of practice. He yelled loud enough to wake the entire base. She saw him struggle back and forth, the ropes snapped in pressure. The tape ripped like paper. Then the man choked on his own blood and passed out in pain.

"Right." Chiaki tossed to tooth on a nearby trash bin and proceeded to clean and sew the man's gums back.

"Don't worry. It will grow back." She muttered and stitched the gaping hole. The poor man groaned in pain and fell back into a deeper sleep. The nurse untied him and began mopping the floor, ensuring the place was blood free before anyone barged in. Speaking of anyone, she sighed. Chiaki could shoot a green pea at an impressive distance. Providing the said pea wasn't moving and she was given at least a minute to aim. It was horrible and of the least impressive, according to everyone.

The umbrella given to her by Kamui would not be used to its full potential even if she wanted to.

Or maybe… there was a chance that he could be kind enough to at least teach her a fourth of the basics.

Chiaki smiled a little.

Kamui's definition of a knock was extreme, even for the majority of Mongol barbarians. His timing was also impeccable.

The door of the clinic was kicked out of its hinges. The metal flew and bashed into Chiaki's client's face right in the teeth, knocking several out at once.

The nurse could not do anything but gape at Kamui.

"I-" His bright blue eyes scanned the room, and then paused at Chiaki's flushed face. "Do you have extra bandages?" He asked politely.

She huffed.

"If you're going to wrap them around your face again to look cooler than the other Captains, then no, sir, I do not have extra bandages." _You ruined my door! How dare you!_ She crossed her arms and glared at him defiantly. Chiaki seemed taller then, brave and confident. The Captain had to ruin it by slamming his palm on the top of her head. His fingers tightened around her skull and his face inched close, darker and menacing.

"Ow ow _ow_! Okay! They're at the bottom drawer!" Chiaki squealed and he let go.

He took several rolls of bandages and held them to his chest. With another lingering look to the nurse's scowling face, he walked off.

"Just so you know." She called out. He stopped and looked back. "You already look cool enough without those things in your face." She said absentmindedly and pushed her door off the unconscious Yato. She didn't see his eyes widen and she didn't notice his dark cold heart palpitate like crazy.

"Idiot." Kamui whispered, but she didn't hear him.

* * *

"Do you have any idea how inconvenient _chapped lips_ are?"

"It was a ring burner! My asshole was on _fire_!"

Kamui swallowed his food and stared at the both of his subordinates blankly. The okama violently scrubbed his swollen lips while the vice-captain was obviously holding himself back from making another run to the latrines.

"And this happened, why?"

"Chiaki." They said in unison, both murderous in their unique ways.

"Someone called?" The nurse said from behind them.

The both of them stiffed and glared at her angrily. Abuto cracked his knuckles in unadulterated fury while the other one shook his ass in the gayest way possible. "You're gonna pay!" The vice-captain yelled. He knew it was below him to start breaking any of the nurse's bones, she was now a part of them after all. But a little intimidation was okay. He could always trip her a few times until he got bored of it.

Intimidation was easy to ignore once you have a daily dose.

"If the both of you are simply going to try look all manly in front of me, give up, I'm already madly in love with someone else." She said and violently bit a chunk off a croquette.

To say that the entire canteen fell into silence was an understatement. Everyone dropped whatever they were holding and stared at Chiaki who raised a brow in surprise. _Was I… was I that loud? _Abuto was gaping like a fish out of water, Aiko looked horrified. She could feel Kamui glare daggers at the back of her head, but she didn't move.

"You're whipped?" Abuto broke the silence after a whole minute.

"I'm not 'whipped' I'm in _love_ with someone." _Maybe I'm taking this too far. Escape route. I need an escape route._

"And if you excuse me, I have important… things to be doing right now." She broke into a mad dash out of the canteen, but not before a strategically placed foot tripped her and sent her flying to a group of Yato who were minding their own damn business. Her umbrella rolled away like a tissue roll. She crawled out of the pile of muscles and pain and yelled profanities, enough to make grown pirates wash their ears in horror.

Abuto grabbed her ankle and lightly slammed her body on one of the tables. She screamed angrily and kicked his mouth. He didn't even flinch.

"This is injustice!" She yelled and grabbed a fistful of his hair before ripping it out with all her strength.

The entire room transformed into an arena with cheering and yelling men. Chiaki was confused, but she damn knew well enough that it wasn't such a great idea to yank another tuft of the vice-captain's hair. Because after she ripped another handful of hair, a table was placed above her. Its weight forcing her limbs down, by that time, she was sandwiched between two tables, only her head, which was poking out from a corner, was spared from the bone crushing weight.

Abuto was clutching on his bald spots while other sympathetic crew pat his back for support.

Aiko's heeled foot found its way on top of the table squishing the nurse down.

"What's with the sudden interest on my love life?!" Chiaki tried wriggling out.

"It's not your 'love life' dear." Aiko bent down near her face. Chiaki was able to wriggle a hand free. She reached and tried to tug a pink lock off Aiko's head, but he quickly dodged.

The room fell into a curious silence.

"Don't tell me she plans to do… _that?_" An unimportant crew said from afar, which was acknowledged by a few nods coming from the other crew.

"Captain what should we do?"

"My liver is getting crushed!" Chiaki piped in.

"Should we give her a beating?"

"I'll do it!"

"No, we can't flog her! She's a brat! A young brat! Don't you have any morals? You damn fools!"

"Maybe it's a _human_ thing. We're different species after all."

"It really hurts!" Chiaki twisted her head back.

"Yeah… They're a lower species! That explains a lot!"

"The Captain should decide!"

"Yes, the Captain!"

The majority of the crew stared at the Captain expectantly. Who tore a chunk of flesh from the whole roast chicken he was eating. He swallowed and gave his subordinates a look of agreement. He silently walked to Chiaki, who was staring at him intently. Aiko removed his foot and bowed a gracious bow before slipping away to join the mob. Kamui slammed his hand on the upper table and bent to her level.

Normally, the nurse would rip handful of hair from his head as well, but she wouldn't dare touch those silky locks, oh no. Instead she gave him a grin that translated to, _what the hell is happening right now, I have no fuckin clue._ She couldn't help but notice his black roots.

"What the hell is happening right now? I have no fuckin clue." She whispered to him, and he smiled a smile that sent her heart on a marathon. Because of _fear_ not that lovey dovey shit, or so she thought.

"Nurse." He said. "Do you have plans to do the…. _Settling down_."

There was a scream of horror in the back end.

_"What?"_ Chiaki squinted. Was this the reason behind the whole treatment she was experiencing right now?

"You heard me." He smacked her forehead painfully and she slapped his hand with her free one. He grabbed her pinky and twisted it far back. She yanked it out of his grip before he could break it.

"I don't know! Being in love… or having a crush doesn't mean I'm going to settle down with the person!" She whispered again. It must be another crazy tradition the Yato had.

Kamui slightly tilted his head to his right, raised both of his arms until his hands were aligned with his shoulders and grinned ear to ear. It gave her the chills of how _evil_ he looked at that moment. Maybe it was a horrible idea to be emotionally attached to him after all, but as common knowledge to most of those whom have experienced these… stirrings. The demands of the heart often go against reason.

"You hear that? She isn't sure!" Kamui announced.

The crew exchanged yells of unknown origin, whether from protest, anger or joy, Chiaki didn't know. She was sure, though that she wasn't going down without a fight.

_"I didn't say that!"_ She tried pushing the table off; it moved an inch or two before her back popped.

"We only allow two answers for this! Answer the wrong one and you get thrown to the space sharks!"

The room erupted with ear damaging roars.

"What the hell?" Her day wasn't going as she planned it to.

"Wrong answer." Kamui grinned sadistically.

"Okay! _Okay!_ I am _not_ going to do the settle down thing you guys are going batshit crazy about! I will be single for the rest of my life if that's what you want!" It was the right answer and the entire canteen cheered wildly. Chiaki craned her neck to gauge Kamui's reaction, but all she could see was disappointment. He kicked off the table from her body and she gasped for air. The angry mob slowly dispersed and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the heavy look her Captain was giving her.

"Was what I said wrong?" She gave him a grin.

"If you have nothing better to say, I suggest you go clean the toilets instead." He spat and moved back to his table where a pile of steaming food awaited him.

Chiaki pursed her lips and sighed. She searched for her weapon and slid it to its umbrella cover. The nurse reluctantly took a glance at Kamui. What was it that she did wrong again? She made a mental note to scrub the ship's latrines and headed to Abuto. Who was combing his hair to cover the bald spots she kept on making.

"What's with that thing about 'the settling down'" She asked Abuto and he slapped her head with the back of his hand. She hissed and started hitting him with her umbrella. He didn't even have the decency to act like it hurt. Abuto's eyes scanned the room before he pulled her down to sit on a chair, he sat opposite to hers. "Listen." He said in a quiet voice. It sounded almost painful.

He opened his mouth to speak but shut it immediately. His eyebrows scrunched in thought before groaning angrily and slamming his head continuously on the steel table, only stopping because he felt a little blood seeping out of his manly veins.

"It's okay. Take your time." Chiaki crossed her legs and smiled genuinely.

Abuto seemed to take that as an insult and he slammed his fist down angrily.

"One…. One of the reasons I don't want to have kids…." He muttered to himself. If his eyes were tired and bloodshot before, it looked even worse.

Chiaki was confused earlier, she wanted to get answers but it seemed like she was only going to get a headache if she asked this guy.

"Is that I'd have to explain traditional shit like this. The birds and bees, your first kill, how to rip off a man's kidney without staining your clothes…." He ruffled his hair with his fingers and breathed in.

Chiaki smirked. "So you think that I'm your kid?" Their conversation was going on a pleasing route.

"Hell no! As if my perfect genes will create something as pathetic as you are."

Or perhaps not.

Chiaki grunted and stood. "Well, if you insist on being… like _that. _I'm going to ask Aiko-chan for answers instead. Thanks." She stood up, but he was persistent. Abuto glared at her and motioned for her to sit her ass down and listen. When she did, he linked his fingers together and propped his nose on top to show how serious he was being.

"How was our population count doing when you visited our planet?" He asked.

Her eyebrows scrunched together. The earth felt like it was overpopulated, but compared to the Yato's home planet, it was _huge._ The Yato's own planet seemed like a small ball of dirt positioned on space, and the people were very few in comparison.

"You seemed to be in good progress, but a little more couldn't be bad."

It wasn't the answer Abuto wanted. "Why do you think we have such a shitty population?"

"Well, you have this tradition of murdering-"

"-Fighting to the death-"

"-_murdering_ each other when the appropriate chance arises." Chiaki mused. "Also, you guys don't mind pushing your clansmen out of spaceships to desert planets for kicks and giggles." She leaned back and was satisfied when Abuto merely nodded and didn't question her answer.

"There is one more reason." He drawled.

"A truck load more reasons-"

"That's not the point!" said relentlessly and massaged his temples.

"Let me guess, it's the entire taboo thing about the settling down isn't it-"

"You don't say it like that!" Abuto hissed.

"How was I supposed to know?"

He leaned closer and whispered.

"You say it like this, **_the settling down._**"

Chiaki grimaced and she felt like it was her turn to slam her forehead bloody on the table. It doesn't make a difference, really. He just over dramatized it. She still didn't get her answer and she needed to pee.

"Yes, and?" Her patience was thinning.

"You're not supposed to take this matter so lightly."

"Continue on please."

He gave her a look. "The sole reason we leave our home is because it separates us from the weak. The ones who cannot fight stay and do **_the settling down _**with the others. Those who are old and frail stay there as well, but normally, the most of us who has gathered enough money stay on other planets instead. It's shameful to start thinking about **_the settling down _**once you've found yourself worthy enough to land a spot right on this ship, especially on the seventh division, on the Captain's elite team." He folded his arms and leaned back.

"I'm not part of your race, surely you understand that?" Chiaki pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Aye, but we don't get many outsiders to remain in our company for more than six months, much less in almost a year. The crew will forget that you're human." He explained and she felt pride burst in her chest like a firework. Upon seeing her smile, the vice-captain groaned ruefully, she only bumped him in the shoulder as a reply.

"Then why is the Captain sulking?" She asked and Abuto risked a look at Kamui.

"He doesn't seem to be-"

"He looked disappointed!"

"Surely, you're just being a woman and overreacting."

For that comment, she kicked him in the shin. He didn't feel anything.

"I'm not overreacting. He told me to clean the latrines."

"_Shit_ what did you say?"

"Nothing!"

Abuto _knew_ why Kamui was sulking. He was a man after all, and once a teenager like the Captain. He understood fully and he thought it would be the best to pretend he didn't. It was plain as day that Chiaki felt affection for the Captain. He was being his an idiot as usual and misinterpreted everything.

Kamui and Chiaki had the same interests at heart and he will not destroy the one thing in common they had by interfering. It was not his place .What will happen in the end if they both stopped beating around the bush and decided to be together anyway?

From what he knew, humans only live for an average of seventy years, they age and die too quickly. Yato live for more than a hundred years of age and could still bring pesky planets to extinction .There was no guarantee she would survive a few more years in the ship, there was no guarantee for any of them and even if it saddened him. It was likely that she will be brought back to earth before actual progress will happen.

"Yo, are you listening?" Chiaki was slightly miffed. She snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"What?" He asked.

"Geez, I was asking if it was a good idea to ask him, if you are willing to stand behind me and get me the hell out of dodge if he starts a rampage… I'll make you something to eat." She offered.

Abuto just raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm also sorry for the laxative thing, you were constipated in the first place. I helped to relieve that." She said, but Abuto merely gave her a wry smile.

"It's not a good idea. Whatever it is, he'll just blow his steam off and forget." He ruffled her hair and she yelped. There was one more thing though.

"When do you think you'll be able to go back to your home planet?"

Chiaki raised an eyebrow. "Maybe after five years… maybe never…" She took a piece of bread and bit on it.

"What?" It was his turn to be confused.

"I pledged my allegiance to him." Was the reply.

"You _what?_" He whispered loudly. Several people from the canteen stared at the duo, but they immediately went back on their business when they saw that it was the vice-captain. There was no say what torture he might unleash upon them.

"I thought you knew?"

"No! I didn't! When did this happen?" He demanded, his eyebrows twitched uncomfortably.

"When he shooed you and Yukiko off the clinic, he persuaded me to stay." She explained. "I thought you were eavesdropping!"

"I didn't! I took a dump, heard a bunch of eavesdroppers cheer, joined in the cheering _then_ almost got shot in the balls!" He gaped. "But why?" He asked.

"I" Chiaki thought hard. "I don't know… it felt right."

Abuto threw his hands in the air. "Why was I expecting a better answer? That's your _style._" Just his luck, he thought. He didn't want her to die, she was his friend for Baccano's sake and she just gave herself a death sentence. It was really irritating. "I bet you thought you were being really clever." He snapped and Chiaki threw a grape at him. But she understood.

She stood up and marched to the door.

"Where are you going?" Aiko tittered from afar. There was a bottle of alcohol in his hand and he wanted to become a zombie the easy way.

"I'm going to teach the crew about oral hygiene." She yelled and left.

* * *

"Umbrellas are so smooth, and shiny. Don't you just like it when you aim at your enemy and the base of your weapon glistens and sparkles with the blood of their comrades? It's like magic!"

Sometimes, an organization is a like corrupt government. The employees are fiercely stone faced and over the top with their sick perverse love for everything relating to paperwork. They protect their base by denying the accusations and complaints of the outsiders. Always spewing things like according to the corn law of 1997 this measly sheet of paper should be photocopied twice and attached with 10x10 pictures of your head with a fuchsia background, NEXT, without knowing what fuchsia even looks like. But once you're in, the government assumes that it's all part of the management and pays no heed. This system has allowed freeloading corrupt officials to breed in swarms. It is the same for pirates.

Instead of corrupt officials, pirates are blessed with men who create multiple organizations in the organization they were in, which does make a little sense, if the organizations were a tad bit useful, in the case of the seventh division it was not.

'Parasol Lovers Society' is one of them.

"I see. I see." Chiaki nodded and took down notes for her own selfish purposes. "And what about that P276 model right there, the one that can play music?" She asked politely, and several members passed her the beauty that is the P276 model with the attached earphones on. It had a portable vegetable grater in the handle for all the owner's vegetable grating needs.

"Oral hygiene my ass." Kamui stood behind Chiaki and she stiffened.

Chiaki looked at Kamui with guilt and handed the parasol back to its owner. The men bowed and ran for their life.

"Well. I was telling them to brush their teeth earlier…" She forced a smile.

"Which one is it?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you like the guy with the P276 model or the bald guy with the tattoos on the head? Or perhaps it was the man whom I ripped an arm off." It took a while for her to register before she realized what he implied. Kamui's face was strangely blank. His eyes didn't have its glint and he wasn't giving off his usual vibe.

"That's disgusting. We were only talking about umbrellas. They saw the one you gave me and they swarmed around it like bees on honey." She said and unwittingly found her hand clutching its handle. Kamui hummed and she smiled when she saw his lip quirk upwards.

"I'm going to the base. Stay here." He said.

"Let me come with you." She said quickly. Then yelled in the inside, she should stop making impulsive decisions.

"It's too dangerous."

She scratched the back of her head. Yes, she should have expected that reply. She was an idiot.

"But you can come."

Chiaki immediately brightened up. She let the moment pass then her chest exploded in horror. What the hell? Base meant Harusame base and Harusame base meant creeps. Creeps meant that nut case who asked her if she was at her… peak. The deed has already been done though. Other than that, this time, Chiaki thought she had a weapon. She had some means to protect herself.

* * *

_"Hehehehe_" Kujaku Hime Kada laughed dryly from her cell. Her beauty that men sought for was worn into a gaunt. Disease for all they knew was beginning to seep into her bones, she would only have weeks. The prisoner flipped her cup and the bolts inside rattled as she swirled it around. Her eyes never left a spot on the wall. There were two Yato and a human on the other side of the cell. The stronger of the species observing her closely, the shorter of the two was crouched to her level.

"Odd, or even? _Odd, or even?_" She asked. Her cheeks were hollow.

Kamui answered. "What about … even?"

To the Captain of the seventh division who held no attachments to the woman. It was merely a game, but to his subordinate, it was an entirely different matter. Kamui knew about Abuto liking the woman. It was evident, marked all over his face every time he attempted a conversation with her. Curious as he was, Kamui forcibly brought Abuto to the place.

If Abuto was disheartened, or disappointed, if he even felt hurt at all, he didn't show it.

With shaking fingers, she swished her upturned cup and lifted it. Without looking at what's inside, she laughed and declared his loss.

"Look what we have here? I lost. Pathetic, ain't it?" Kamui smiled. "She was once called the leader of Harusame's fourth squadron, the lone flower that blooms into the darkness of space. But then she up and left with the organization's money… I didn't expect to see her back here. Especially not like this."

The Captain dusted his cloak. "Neh, I never expected you to be a sucker for a vixen like her." He prodded.

"Oh! Will I get rich when I get old?" Abuto forcibly stuck his palm inside a prison cell far from where Kamui was. The old bald man inside with six arms started stroking the lines on his palm, he nodded constantly and Chiaki grinned when she saw one of his arms go up to scratch a prominent liver spot up his shiny head. "Yep, yep." The bearded old man nodded and let go of Abuto's hand. With a jolly tone, he concluded: "If you work too hard, you'll lose everything! But as what I can see, you're going in some green pastures my boy!"

"Heck yeah!" Abuto pumped his fist in the air, before he could do a celebratory dance though. Kamui's feet slammed to the side of his skull and the vice-captain tumbled like a barrel to the cell in the far end and crashed with a grunt.

"…" Chiaki stared at Kamui blankly. He glared Chiaki. "Hey dude, you wanted to go near her. I have no idea why, but this guy is pretty damn cool if you ask me." She said crossing her arms.

"My Nintendo DS!" Abuto screamed, but he was ignored.

"That's because this man isn't a prisoner." Kamui sighed. "Old man Jiji, you sleep walked into a cell again didn't you?" He said. The old man nodded in an impressive speed and weakly stood up. Chiaki rubbed her eyes, now that the old man wasn't concealed in the darkness, she could clearly see that he was wearing a Harusame captain uniform.

"Do you want me to bust you out again?" Kamui gripped the bars and pried it open.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

He gingerly stepped out and Chiaki could see that he stood a foot taller than her and those six blue arms were really _really_ muscular, like his equally blue scorpion tail. The only normal looking thing was his old man head that was attached to the slimy body.

"Let me read your fortune." To Chiaki's surprise Kamui stepped aside and the tenth division captain had all his six hands on her right arm. He lifted it up causing her to be in the air as well. She almost squealed in horror as he lifted her closer. Chiaki could see tiny translucent blue insect feet like extensions buzz on his chest. She felt herself tear up, but one look from Kamui and she shut her mouth. She wasn't going to start walking around and disrespecting division captains.

"Good! Good! Your future is shorter than the most, but is good." He slowly put her arm down and one of his blue hands gently patted her head. "Your choices will be narrow, but I cannot say anything… yet"

The thousands of insect feet on his chest buzzed and he snapped his neck to the direction of Kamui, speeding towards him like a bullet, stopping only when their faces were only inches apart.

"You've already told me my fortune old man Jiji."

"Ah, yes, but fortunes change." He winked. "Glory still awaits you in the end, but I cannot guarantee you will not lose anything in the path you'll take. The blood in your veins shouldn't control you, young lad." He winked again then his arms spread out like a machine and he lay prostrate to the ground before speeding away like an insect to its burrow.

Chiaki stared at Kamui who watched the captain twist its body to enter the opening of a door.

He looked distant.

"Don't worry… even-"

"You lose.. It's _odd!_" Kujaku hime said from her cell.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Chiaki shot back. When she saw Kamui walking off with a distraught Abuto on his trail, she jogged to meet their pace. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get that Eeve?" The vice-captain complained, he threw the totaled Nintendo down a bin and huffed angrily.

Chiaki wanted to shoot everyone. It was the perfect moment to say something cool and life-changing, and everybody just ignored her.

They passed several stairs and the nurse couldn't resist ogling at the different Amanto she saw. The base seemed to be busier than usual. The trio walked into a massive bridge, with glass panels protecting them from the environment of space. There were ships outside and one wandered in too close, its force shook the ground. The nurse held a railing for support.

"Anyways, they stole my glory again." Kamui said. Chiaki snapped out of her stupor and ran to match their ridiculously fast pace.

"We should show our gratitude…" The Captain continued.

He was known as Takasugi Shinsuke, sometimes the governor of Kiheitai, or Shinsuke-sama, or Bakasugi and many other names. His skin was pale, hair an oily mess of dark purple, one eye bandaged and at a glance he it was known that he was human. Not a Yato, not a Shinra, but a human, a _samurai. _Kamui was smart enough to know that. There was a pause and the human who casually walked pass the both of the Yato looked back a knowing smile on his features.

"To the samurai."

"Oof!" Chiaki bumped into Takasugi, one glare from his crazy bloodshot eye and she stiffened in horror.

"_Hey yo… sorry to be bumpin on you, mah man_." She said in straight English and gave him a light bump on the shoulder before inching away nervously. He continued glaring. Abuto had been trying to stifle a laugh, but it bubbled anyway, even as he tried to cover it with a hasty cough. The nurse grinned, and made a quick bow. It wasn't Takasugi's fault that his singular eye looked a little bad. He wasn't sleeping well and he was running out on his precious pipe weed. A quick nod was enough to send the nurse scampering to her subordinates, who looked a little too amused to her chagrin.

Once sure that she was out of hearing range, she whispered. "That guy did some serious crazy eye laser on me." She shivered. Maybe she should send him some eye drops, his eye seemed to have grown their own muscles due to stress.

"His name is Takasugi Shinsuke, leader of the Kiheitai." Kamui said. "You're walking too slowly." He remarked.

"I'm already half running." She has no idea how could they walk so fast.

There were many solutions to that predicament, more than the count of his fingers. Kamui had to choose to intertwine his large warm fingers to her small cold ones.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Chiaki can't necessarily say that she didn't like it. It felt good. The act burned her body awake, and she could feel her cheeks heat up in response. Kamui had been far more solicitous since the day she had pledged herself to him. It made the Captain seem less aggressive and almost nice.

It didn't help that behind them, Abuto was making loud unintelligible noises from the back of his throat.

"Now you're forced to keep up. If you slow down, you'll be dragged like dead meat." Which was nowhere near as nice, Chiaki thought sourly. She tried to pry her fingers off his, but his grip was strong. Perhaps there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel after all, even if none of them could see it.

* * *

_To Princess Yukiko,_

_Sometimes, I wonder about things…._

_Congratulations with Prince Hata! *confetti* I know you think he's dashing, but have you considered meeting some other Princes? No offense, but someone without an antennae dangling from his forehead… and someone that's not in an unhealthy shade of purple. Did you know that he doesn't wear lipstick? _

_Btw, how do you get your hair to be so silky? I ripped off a few strands from the vice-captain and felt horrible when I found out that his hair felt a hundred times better than mine._

_Chiaki_


	13. Chapter 13

_Princess Yukiko_

_You haven't replied yet from the last letter I sent you, I know I should wait. But there are so many things in this world that we don't have control of. I for one do not have any means of understanding why the universe throws so much bullshit in my way, or how the universe works._

_I had hoped to see you again. To tell you that you are my first friend among many who had so blatantly announced that I will be your best friend, but as always. I am stuck with only words to a page._

_Perhaps deep inside, I am wishing that I had taken the logical way and followed you back to your kingdom. If I had, then maybe I wouldn't be in this predicament, maybe I would be even back in my own home. There is nothing I can do, and I am needed here, as much as you are needed there._

_This may be the last time that I will write you a letter._

_Do me a favor and not make another daring escape. You may be the only one to remember I existed in the first place. Tell our adventure to your grandkids, and emphasize how much of an idiot I act all the time. Don't forget to tell them that I have ridiculous pink hair. Ahahaha._

_Someone is calling for me. I have to go. Once you receive this, it may be already too late._

_Don't do anything stupid._

_Chiaki_

* * *

"Is it really necessary that I'm here?" Chiaki said for the umpteenth time. She was sitting on the floor, her back rested on a decorated metal wall. Not far from her are two fancy double doors with the vice-captain subtly peeking through the cracks on the hinges. Half an hour ago, the nurse joined Abuto in listening for tidbits of conversation from Kamui and the Admiral. Now, she was slightly bored, and her stomach didn't feel very well.

The smell of food wasn't helping her feel better. She could see Abuto swaying slightly; he was most likely on the verge of munching down the architecture that surrounded them. He was also ignoring her.

Chiaki frowned. "Do you hear that, Abuto? That's the sound of me giving you a slow handclap because I am utterly impressed by how mature you're acting right now." She said quietly.

Abuto glared at her and focused on the crack at the door.

"By the way." The nurse stood up and hobbled to the vice-captain. "There's this wolf man dog hybrid hanging behind the pillar right there." She subtly pointed at where she could see a grey tail swish around lazily. She could sometimes catch the wolf man dog hybrid glance at them every five minutes.

"Should we do anything about it?"

It caught Abuto's attention and he craned his head back. He saw the tail swish as well, and he blanched.

"Ah, that's probably Captain Gourou of the eighth division." Abuto mused.

"Well, what's he doing here?" Chiaki asked. Captain Gourou had a hook for a hand.

"I don't know." Abuto peeked back and jumped.

"The Captain's coming, quick! Look active or something!" he stepped to the side and straightened his back. Chiaki did the same, although she looked a little too lax.

"What do you want me to do?" The both of them could hear Kamui's voice from the other room. There was a slight pause and Admiral's voice echoed out.

"Dispose of the tools we no longer need."

Sure enough, the door opened and Kamui exited the room. The smell of the food heightened and the nurse felt her stomach flip in pain. She felt the need to vomit, but swallowed everything down and smiled. Nobody seemed to notice. "You seem to be in a good mood? Did the meeting go well?" Abuto asked politely, even though he knew ninety percent of what was in the meeting. Kamui knew as well. He simply nodded to his vice-captain.

His blue eyes wandered to Chiaki and with a swift movement, her right hand was engulfed under his large ones.

Her reaction wasn't the one he anticipated. As soon as she felt his skin touch hers, she quickly pulled her hand back. He felt disappointed seeing her curl her fist protectively under her non-dominant hand, she even had the gall to look terrified, bringing her appendages to her chest.

"You can't!" She started, then paled, then looked a little green. She swallowed nervously.

"Captain, I'm feeling _sick_. Not of you of course! But really sick, I'm just trying to promote infection control."

Then by the gods he did something she didn't expect. The back of his hand made contact with her forehead and he frowned._ That_ little act didn't help as well, for she was very sure her temperature made another spike.

"You shouldn't have agreed to come if you were sick." Abuto commented and her eyebrows knit in irritation. It wasn't like she had a choice. They were always,_ hey Chiaki, we're going to go somewhere dangerous, oh! You can't come because you're doing our paperwork that we should be doing in the first place and not this reckless stuff? Don't worry, you can still come!_

"Right" was the curt reply.

If Kamui felt guilty for what he did. He didn't show. Nobody minded.

Captain Gourou must have felt impatient for standing there behind the pillar too long, because he made an inhuman growl and strode steadily towards the trio. "Good grief, strong words, coming from a tool that never had any use but as decoration." He said looking away cooly with purpose, leaning back against a pillar with his arms crossed. He allowed three seconds to pass for a dramatic effect before staring straight to the eyes of Kamui.

"This place would be much more comfortable if we disposed of that pig."

"I would feel much more comfortable if I didn't need to carry this _thing_ around!" Abuto complained, to his Captain he crouched down.

Chiaki sat securely on his shoulders. "I can still walk… this isn't needed" She emphasized, but there was no choice for the matter. Once Kamui has directed his word, there was no arguing with him. His will was always cast in iron, heavy with authority. "And don't call me a thing!" Chiaki finished.

"Abuto, don't complain." Kamui chided.

Sometimes, Abuto felt like a horse.

"Is anybody even listening to me?" Captain Gourou hollered, swiping the air with his hooked hand.

"We heard you Captain Gourou." Abuto, being the diplomat said. "Right Captain?" He said to Kamui.

"…" Kamui smiled.

"Ah! I guess I have to repeat what I said, I was saying earlier, ahem, Good grief strong words coming from a tool that never had any use but as decoration this place would be much more comfortable if we disposed of that pig." He said quickly without any pause._ Take the bait, take the bait._ He thought. One look of agreement from the Captain of the seventh division and his plan would be a success. It was only a matter of time before he, Captain Gourou would finally stand at the top.

"But you guys both do the four legged trot, shouldn't you go along with him, Captain Gourou?"

Abuto's cheeks went red. He almost burst out laughing if Chiaki didn't kick him right in the udders.

"Kamui." His eye looked hella strained, like he was about to punch Kamui for his bad joke if he could.

"Me and the other twelve division captains are all on your side, we're ready to elect you and go slaughter than pig anytime."

He sauntered to Kamui and patted his back. "Dunno about you, but I'm tired of dancing puppet strings for pig-boy and the higher ups! We want to work with someone more fun that can rampage, Kamui. We're pirates ain't we? So let's go start acting like it!"

"This guy talks too much." Abuto whispered. "He's pissing me off, I don't even get to say more than twenty words each quotation mark."

Chiaki sometimes didn't understand Abuto. It was like he understood what universe they were being denizens in. Like he had a vision, she ignored him and passed it on as some psycho line murderers like him say to intimidate regular people like her. She didn't like how this conversation was going either.

"Say, Captain Gourou sir, you look like a decent enough Captain. Since you're obviously so popular, shown by how the twelve divisions chose you as their spokesperson. Why don't you try becoming the Admiral instead? It would be an utter win." Chiaki said. He eyed her suspiciously.

"I can't lead. I just want to go crazy and not have to think." He explained.

"You sound just like our boss." Abuto piped in. He was so sure he could take this guy head on, with or without Chiaki sitting on his shoulders.

"Besides, I have an eye patch over one eye and a hook instead of a hand. I'm not Admiral material-"

"No, you're the spitting image of an Admiral, you're totally gunning to be Admiral." Captain Gourou looked away and focused on Kamui.

"Anyhow, General, were willing to be your muscle any time, so if you're going to kill that Bakasugi guy, we'll lend you hand…"

"Don't interfere." Kamui stepped forward.

"I finally met another samurai." He continued.

"Abuto, isolate Takasugi from his minions. Take the fleet and wipe out his men." Kamui ambled on. Abuto wasn't following. Chiaki couldn't control herself any longer, the situation was too tense! If they continued on, she was… her breakfast was going to have its second appearance.

"Captain Gourou, if you want to back us up, please help with that."

Abuto complained about something. Chiaki's hands tightened to a fist. She covered her face with her hands and focused on massaging her forehead.

"Sorry, but." Kamui's voice was far. "I won't have anyone ruin my fun."

_Fuck that!_ Chiaki hit her forehead on Abuto's cranium in a futile attempt to suppress her undying urge to vomit, one whiff at his rancid hair gel and she vomited all over Captain Gourou's shoulder. The wolf man dog hybrid roared in surprised and jumped away before more of the human's stomach contents touched him. He immediately removed his coat and threw it off.

Chiaki felt absolutely better, but Captain Gourou looked like he was ready to skin her alive.

"Sometimes, it's good to stop and take responsibilities for your actions." Abuto picked his nose.

The nurse stiffened in horror. Was he, was he going to betray her?

"But this time, it's better to run." He whispered. "Hold on."

She didn't know how she was able to outrun Yato in the past. They were monstrously lighting fast and she hoped Abuto won't notice losing about thirty percent of his hair because of her grabbing it to stay on his shoulders. She should try sneaking in some hair growth formula in his shampoo soon.

* * *

**Canteen:**

"You are not going with Abuto." Kamui said, before sipping a large bowl of noodles empty.

"But the fleet!" Chiaki sneezed, and the stranger dining in front of her recoiled in horror.

She didn't understand. Abuto was going to take the entire fleet to battle a group of humans that evening. The fleet meant the ship where they were currently standing on. The ship meant her clinic and the clinic was her home. She was the nurse as well, meaning she would tend the wounded in battle. It was a task the Yato didn't do well without any assistance. She stocked a load of medicine and was hyped up for it as well.

Unless Kamui wanted her to go with him, she wasn't going anywhere which was highly unlikely for him to even consider, he did emphasize on the fact that he was going solo, that fools such as Chiaki who interfere a lot should get their ass away from him as possible.

"Where am I supposed to go then?" She inquired.

Chiaki waited patiently until he finished his fifth bowl of noodles. He was eating nonstop.

"In the Harusame, there are only a few you can trust, and the number you can rely on will not betray you until they have still have favors to repay." He stuffed a tomato in his mouth and chewed it noisily.

"Do you remember Captain Jiji?"

She squinted. "Oh! He's the old man from the dungeons!" She smiled.

"You're going to stay with him for a few days until everything is over." He explained nonchalantly. "You will pack your clothes and I will personally escort you to him."

Her smile dropped. "I promise I won't be a burden! I'll even fight if I have to. And aside from that, I have responsibilities as a medic."

"You are not ready, and you also have an uncanny habit of attracting danger."

She squeezed her own wrist in frustration. "But you said it would be a simple task-"

"Chiaki" It was how he said her name that forced her attention to him. "I don't like to break my promises."

He wasn't the type to pronounce his motives word by word. Everybody had to think, to use up what's left of their brain cells if they had to. Chiaki realized his intentions and her heart skipped a beat. He was ensuring her safety. Sure it sounded cheesy, but it was solid proof that he actually cared. That she was of some value to him. She almost couldn't hear him due to the too loud beating in her chest that threatened to turn her into a tomato. Her stomach flipped again for the second time that day, but this time it wasn't unpleasant.

"Okay. I'll do it."

To her complete surprise, he ruffled her hair. "Very good" He said and her chest swelled with pride.

Then she paled when she realized several things;

She was indeed whipped.

He tricked her using his skills to say yes even though she had a job to do! Oh, that genius!

Chiaki wanted to punch something. What was the use of her being a nurse if she couldn't save lives? And it was too late to back out on her word. He was still ruffling her hair as well.

* * *

"Captain Jiji. I'm sorry to impose upon you." Chiaki bowed as formally as she could.

The tenth division's Captain stood from his traditional Japanese table and bowed elegantly. "No need for that." He said in a voice that could be easily mistaken as an old man's. "Me and Kamui go waaaayyyy back." There was a certain look in his dark beady eyes that made her feel nervous.

"See, there is nothing to worry about. See you later." Kamui chirped from behind her. She wanted to jump at him and beg, but it was rude and she thought herself as cooler than that.

"Don't forget to eat your vegetables." She whispered to her Captain.

"Yes, yes." He said and gave her a reassuring pat. "Remember to be good." Was the reminder and she saluted, watching him disappear to battle the human Cyclops made her feel uneasy._ Relax Chiaki. You know how strong they are, a human won't stand a chance._ She thought.

"It's refreshing to see someone who trusts their Squadron Leader to this extent." Old man Jiji said from behind her. There was brush on one of his many hands and she couldn't help but gape at his magnificent calligraphy. Finally! And just as she almost lost her faith in the Captains, there was one who actually did his own paperwork. "Now tell me." He put down the calligraphy brush and his voice lowered down to a few octaves.

"Do you play chess?" He asked and there was something that spurred in her that she had never felt in a long time. She smirked and sat parallel to him. She couldn't KO a roach even if she wanted to, but chess was the one thing she was pro at. Chiaki was going to win this.

On the contrary she wasn't.

"Y-you just _cheated!_" She stood up and pointed angrily at the chessboard.

"Careful, you're still feeling nauseated; don't move around so much, _hohohohohoho._"

"Old man! You totally replaced that knight when I sneezed!"

_"hohohohohohoho"_

"It's not funny!"

His arms that weren't busy stroking his beard poured her a large cup of tea. "Little girl, the one thing I like about your planet is how they embraced this game. Did you know that chess was invented by my people?" He smiled in that unique way of his then moved a piece strategically. It doesn't matter, Chiaki thought. She still had a chance.

"Really? I didn't know that." She quickly moved a pawn forward, it cornered an important piece.

"Originally, chess was a game of cheating."

"So that's why you're so pro at this." She said in realization and sipped her tea. She watched his eyes scan her pieces for any weak spots. "I agree." His tone was light. "Also because I play with so many interesting people over the decades" he stroked his beard once more.

Then to her surprise a bishop she didn't realize was there swallowed her king.

She grumbled in frustration and resisted the urge to flip the chessboard. The old man was obviously cheating. She just couldn't see him do it, or maybe she was hallucinating.

"Let's play another game." The Captain said his hands were everywhere, setting the pieces back on their original form. Chiaki stared at him as if he had two heads, which could be easily imagined. She stretched her back and felt the muscles ache in reply. "It's been six hours already." She complained. Six hours of endless chess and one would feel mentally drained. It wasn't Pokémon dammit!

His idyllic laughter reminded her of the doctor she worked for a long time ago; she felt tears prick her eyes.

The man was dangerous.

"Last week." His voice was old, but now she understood that he wasn't. He was young, young for a long time and the aged man he wore was nothing but a ruse. The Captain was strong and she could feel his health seep under her skin. Her head cleared up and the pain in her body disappeared.

"The Captain doesn't make friends with weak people, much less than old men." She whispered and he laughed once more.

"Correct!" He chimed. "Kamui is such a strange fellow. He wasn't always the Captain of the seventh division. –oh Chiaki, sit down–"His lower blue arm stretched out and gripped the nurse by her shoulder and forced her to sit. "He is very impulsive; there was this one time when Hosen still ruled over the Yato. He was such a brat, he first thought I was a stowaway at their leaky ship." He sipped his tea and smiled. "Go on, I know there is something you want to say, I don't have frequent visitors to talk to about these things, you know?" He lifted her up by the collar and placed a pillow on her chair, before settling her down gently. His limbs were far more dexterous than they looked.

Chiaki breathed in and she found courage. "I guess it didn't end well for him." She jested, but the smile in his face told her that it was the truth.

"Ripped off my lower arms but I gave him quite a beating." She choked on her own spit. He had… he had eight arms!

"Now for the game, time is running." He hummed. It seemed to her that he wasn't interested at anything rather than playing chess.

"Initially, I wanted our next game to have some stakes."

"I am sorry, but I am not interested." Chiaki quickly said.

"If you are afraid to lose, don't be. You have proven yourself a fierce enemy."

"Yes, losing a lot proved my worth."

"I will not cheat this time." His finger moved back and forth. She smiled.

"Still not interested!" She announced, stood up and bowed.

"You're not in any way curious about what I said down in the dungeons are you?" He questioned her.

"The part where my future is short and I don't have a lot of choices?" She replied.

"Yes."

"You will clarify that for me?" She said with feign curiosity.

"That and more."

"Captain Jiji. I am a powerless human in a base far from my world swarming with mercenaries, murderers and _pirates _and I do not intend to go home. I believe there is only one real mystery left for me in my future, and I would rather not know _when _it will happen." For a moment she feared that she might have offended him, but simply he smiled and stood up, all of his blue arms behind him.

"Very well." He said, disappointed with her tunnel vision. She didn't have the sense of adventure most fools had.

"But how sure are you that Kamui isn't in real danger right now?" He didn't have any malicious intent, but judging by the way that she stiffened and almost reached for her umbrella meant that she took it as so. "Do not fret" again with the wriggling of his pointer finger. "I do not wish to become enemies with someone I enjoy playing chess with." He said. He could hear her heart race.

Perhaps it wasn't such a great idea to remove her of her illness, he thought.

He turned around and she relaxed. The old man went to a large cabinet and opened it with his many arms. There was a white tin box inside, labeled with nothing but a small red cross. It was a medicine box.

The Captain of the tenth division ambled to his ornate table and opened the box with swift fingers. There was a vial of crystalline liquid that looked like coffee to her. He held it out and it shone in the light.

"Your Captain." He said and she went near him "is dead." He said.

"The hell." Chiaki whispered.

"_Ohohoho_ just kidding!" He smiled and she seethed, "but he will soon."

"Stop joking around." Her voice raised a few octaves.

"I myself gave the Admiral a kind of toxin that will instantly leave an elephant incapacitated. I will not bother telling you the name, you will not remember. For sure they will use it on Kamui." Chiaki felt a little dizzy. "Many can happen in a few hours little girl."

"You … asshole, I thought you were friends."

He bristled and she screamed. An arm shot out and its fingers clasped her mouth shut. She swore to the gods that she will never speak bad words to higher ups again, forever, no matter how many limbs they had.

"No cussing." He hissed. "And we are _friends._ That is why you're here." He let go of her face and she surprisingly stood still. Chiaki nodded and silently asked him to continue.

"In an hour, that barbaric mongrel Gourou will strut down that hall looking for you. Their pathetic healers will not be able to stop the poison, but you will." The vial was given to her, along with the box that she will admit was stylish in comparison to the rust eaten thing she wanders around with. "Intradermal injection, on his arm, you need to use all of it." He instructed. Chiaki watched him in awe while he took the uniform that signified his status as a Captain and wrapped it around him.

"Where are you going, sir, if I may ask?" She said.

"Business, none that you should worry about, stay here and for the last time, _sit_"

Which she immediately did without question

Before he could leave the office, she mustered whatever courage she could and said: "Wait, you still haven't told me what exactly is happening…sir."

His eyes were black and they were hollow.

"The king decided the knight was too strong and decided to eliminate him. It's simple as that."

She felt her blood run cold. But ethics went first.

"I will play chess again with you, sir, if you want. You will know where to find me, right?"

He nodded.

"One thing to remember little girl, _go wild_."

And at that he was pleased, he decided to spare her the details of what her other comrades were facing at the moment and left.

To wait for an hour while she had no batshit clue on what the hell was happening was terrifying. Her pulse rate increased dramatically as minutes ran by. When Chiaki couldn't wait much longer she decided that Captain Jiji won't mind if she borrowed his brush and wrote a letter to her best friend. She did and carefully folded it and threw it at a mailbox outside his office. She didn't care if people read it as it passed through the Harusame's embassy and found it cheesy and hilarious. She honestly didn't know if she was going to survive.

* * *

It turned out that Gourou was truly a barbaric mongrel. A minute after an hour and he dragged her like a sack of potatoes to Kamui.

She followed the Captain's advice; she protested, cussed and forced open his vicious grip. She didn't need to be dragged when she could run to him. He took it badly and slapped her painfully.

Chiaki took it badly as well and for the first time in her life was able to shoot four of his men down before her parasol was confiscated from her and she was thrown with enough force to break bones where Kamui was lying down, unconscious and bleeding. It was inside a jail cell, in the dungeon.

There were about five to six healers fussing around him, Chiaki angrily asked them to _move._ Reputations were useful on the base as when someone pointed out that she was Ibara-hime of the seventh division, they backed down and allowed her space.

It was simple, really. Her chest hurt and she wanted to wail like a child.

It was all forced down until her fingers felt numb. His skin was pallor and he was breathing so slowly that she needed to check him thrice before assuring herself that he was alive. A shot of the antidote brought color to his skin and she worked silently, ordering a few of the healers to bind him, to hold him in place as he struggled several times and even pushed her off once, even while unconscious.

An hour passed and all she could feel was the cold bite of the floor on her legs and how warm his blood felt against her fingers.

"Chiaki, there's no need to do that. It will heal by tomorrow." Kamui said. He was lying on the ground with bandages covering his torso. He was awake.

He watched her silently while she sewed his bleeding shoulder together.

He shouldn't have plucked her out from Earth, it was a mistake, but it was an error worth doing.

"'I won't have anyone ruin my fun my ass'." She said and he turned to face her. He saw tears brimming in her eyes and she was trying so hard to keep them from falling. She looked so pale and tired. Her fingers felt cold on his skin and his chest ached.

"I'm okay; you don't have to do anything." He said his voice soft and even. She smiled, the movement caused droplets of tears to fall down from her eyes and all that she had stowed away was unwilling to stay back any longer. Chiaki cursed, her voice was hoarse and Kamui just wanted to hold her close to him. She let go of the needle and she wiped her eyes bitterly. And there she was, bawling in front of him like an angry child. She felt ashamed. She was trying to convince him earlier that she was able to go into battle. He was right, she wasn't ready.

"Chiaki, I'm sorry."

His voice cracked because he felt guilty, because he remembered how her sister cried when he selfishly left her alone, his mother when she used to cry and tend his wounds after a day of fighting for petty reasons he couldn't recall.

It seemed like all the women in his life was cursed to cry for him.

"You have to treat me… coffee when this is all over." She whispered. When she smiled again, it was painful and he felt something burst within him, the darkness menacing and for the first time in years he felt his eyes prickle. Chiaki didn't notice.

He didn't know what coffee was, but he didn't care. His hand inched to the one on her side and he stroked it. He didn't know what to do when it came to crying women.

"Too bad he will die before you could get that cafee of yours." Captain Gourou said from the back. His smile was condescending and Chiaki flipped him the bird.

"It's called coffee." She corrected him. Her tears dried out immediately and she was ready to whoop his ass. Her hate burned like wild fire.

"Whatever." He barked, which was so fitting.

"Now, Chaki isn't it."

"It's Chiaki." Kamui and the nurse said in unison. She didn't know when they linked hands, but Kamui squeezed her fingers then he let go. She missed his warmth already.

"Chiaki, I'm impressed, not only were you able to counter the poison in his veins, but your handiwork is also magnificent." Gourou gave her a smile, which was not really that cool since he was a dog thing. "Get her off his cell." He ordered and his men dragged her back, even as she struggled. "Work for me, now that Kamui will be eliminated; I want the best of his subordinates under my team." He towered over her, but she was so sure she could kick his balls if she tried.

"No." She replied.

"Were you dropped as a fledgling? You don't have a choice in this matter." He said.

"No, but you were obviously thrown at the window the moment your mother saw your ugly face! Didn't you see how touchy-feely that moment was? I'm forever loyal!" She tried to kick his balls but he was too far. "Don't bother, Gourou." It was the Admiral, great timing, Chiaki thought, now she could kick his balls as well, if he ever had a pair.

"Throw her in a cell." The Admiral said and for the second time that day, Chiaki was thrown down a cell. Something bubbled inside her that didn't feel like anything she had experienced recently. It was hot and it threatened to burn her bones. She watched the others finish the sewing on Kamui's shoulder. They swarmed around him and they bandaged the rest before a large man cuffed him on his hands and feet. She felt anger, why didn't he fight?

Then Chiaki gave up.

Kamui looked well enough, he sat directly in front of her and she lay to the cold ground away from his face. Her fingers and clothes were still stained with his blood, but she didn't care. He had no idea how he affected her.

"Miss." His voice sounded like bells. Chiaki didn't move, she was content with staring at the panel of patched metal.

_"Miss"_ Louder this time. The nurse grumbled and faced the stranger. It was a medic from earlier.

"What do you want?" She asked. The young man was holding a bucket with a sponge. "Am I supposed to pee in that?" Chiaki asked and he blushed.

"Yato's blood are acidic, I want to help you take it off." He gestured to her arms. She regarded him suspiciously and crawled to him. She stretched her arms pass the metal bars. The boy was silent throughout the entire time, he washed her hands and she took it as an opportunity to check on Kamui. He was staring at her like a creep, clean from blood. His hair was perfect.

Chiaki brought a hand near her head and she almost cried when she felt that her hair was everywhere. How did they manage to do that?

"Thank you." She said to the stranger, he bowed and scampered off.

"Nurse-"

"Go to sleep Captain. You'll feel better that way." Chiaki turned away from him before he could say anything.

_I'm going to die._ She thought, and her blood ran cold.

_I'm going to die._

She guessed it would be the middle of the night. Everything was quiet, the guards that did the rounds ceased already and the temperature spiked. She was thirsty, but not overly so. She wondered what had happened to the other crew, Kamui was right here in the jail opposite to her. How about them? She thought. Most likely dead.

They said the real measure of your character is how you react in situations where there is little to no hope.

Chiaki thought it was bull; here she was unmoving for hours, feeling worse than ever.

She turned her body and faced Kamui. He smiled at her.

"We're not going to earth to watch the stars anymore, are we?" She said smiling as well. Her voice sounded foreign.

"Not yet."

"Bullshit." She glared at him hard. Galactic crime syndicate groups were so unpredictable, who knew.

"Chiaki, I've been into worse situations than this. Stop crying." He ordered. She scrunched her eyebrows and rubbed freshly forming tears away. "Well I'm sorry, not everyone is like you." She spat bitterly then sat down.

There was awkward silence that drifted above them before surprisingly Kamui broke it.

"I've been travelling space with you for months already, and I barely know anything about you still."

She thought, she thought hard. Where was she going to start? Her life wasn't as exciting and unpredictable before she was captured by him. She would most likely bore him to death. She smiled imagining him begging for the guards to take his life while she mercilessly rained her life stories at him. How about his life? He didn't say a lot and she didn't know plenty about him as well.

"If we get out of here as you are so confidently sure. I'm going to bore you with a detailed story. Someday I will but not now." She grinned at him and he felt sorry for dragging her into this.

"You have to tell me some bits about your life as well okay?" She asked and to her joy, he nodded.

"You better be prepared, Chiaki." He grinned. "I never break promises."

Chiaki stared at him. "Yeah right" she scoffed.

"Oh? You wound me with your mistrust. Has Abuto grown into you? Are you going to have balding spots as well hmm? Chiaki? Do I need to separate the both of you?"

"The hell, you talk like him all the time! Don't look at me!"

To that, Kamui looked disgusted. "I don't" he said.

"Yes you do, the only difference is that you have a better voice than him."

"Of course I have."

"Chiaki, you don't believe we'll survive do you?" He said and she sighed.

"I don't"

"I bet you a kiss we will survive."

"Yeah, sure….. _what? _HELL NO" She yelled, punching the bars, before retracting her arm back in pain. Her knuckles were on fire! She cried throwing a slipper at him, which as she should have expected, bounced off a bar and rolled off somewhere she couldn't reach. It was depressing.

There were footsteps.

"Oh gods, I attracted a bunch of guards didn't I?" Chiaki slapped her forehead. He was right about her attracting trouble.

"No you didn't, that's an ally."

Chiaki fell silent. She clutched the bars and tried to peer to her left where the footsteps came from. It echoed gravely. Now that she wasn't yelling like an animal, she could hear Kujaku Hime Kada as well. She was still muttering the same things, odd or even, she said. There was crying on the other end, someone was wailing loudly for his mother. Beside her cell was someone praying to gods she wasn't familiar to.

"Odds or evens? Odds or evens?" Chiaki felt shivers down her spine.

The footsteps ceased and the familiar purple barely washed clothing of Takasugi Shinsuke graced their presence.

"Odds." He said, despite Chiaki and Kamui screaming "Say even!" on the top of their lungs.

"Mahahahhahaa, Too bad… even!" Kujaku Hime Kada said in her dingy cell, and the curse of the gambler once again spread.


	14. Chapter 14

**Doctor: Edo, Japan**

In the outskirts of Kabuki-cho, there was an empty grave.

It was Chiaki's grave.

Twelve months after the nurse disappeared, her father called the funerary services and the old doctor, who was most patient at taking care of the growing girl's needs wasn't invited. He wasn't informed of this.

Damn them, he thought, she would not have liked this one bit.

He sighed, and with steady hands he plucked out scraggly grass that grew along with the manicured ones.

There was a dried bouquet of roses and a pot of plant succumbing to leaf wilt placed carefully under her name. He brushed off the dead leaves that had oh so insolently covered up her name in fancy script.

_Here Lies Chiaki Sugiyama. In God's Care_

He squinted, with his old wrinkled eyes he squinted. He had nothing against God and his people you see, but he never saw Chiaki pray to any god. She was someone who would scoff at going to church, rather spend the hour on leveling up your magikarp, she once said. The aging doctor massaged his temple and sighed once again.

"Happy Birthday Chiaki."

* * *

**Kamui, Takasugi and Chiaki: Prison**

"Our father who art in heaven, Howard be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy wilt be done on dirt as it is in heaven.-"

"Chiaki." Kamui called out.

"Give us this day our daily bread and bless us, o lord, which we are receive this bounty-"

"Chiaki." He called out louder.

"Oh Thanks, Almighty God-"

"_Chiaki_"

"WHAT?" Chiaki snapped. Kamui and Takasugi stood in front of her, the latter standing up. The both of them looked pretty much miffed at what was happening.

"What are you doing?" Takasugi inquired, he was amused.

She stood up and patted off the dirt that had accumulated on her knees. She shot him a glare that might have been mistaken as something else. The nurse approached the bars of her jail cell and leaned on it.

She looked back and forth and whispered as if it was a dirty secret.

"I was praying."

Hope seemed to be all lost for the nurse. If cavalry was of the form of a deranged one eyed human who had similar ideals to her Captain then she might just throw off all her stubbornness down the drain and begin converting to be a devout follower of any religion.

Her Captain's lip twitched then he laughed openly. She twitched at how natural it sounded. Like he was meant to be laughing with a bunch of dumbass teenagers in a high school filled with dumbass teenagers about an immature topic only dumbass teenagers will be able to think of. He was not supposed to be in a jail ready to be executed in a short amount of time. She was ready to find his parents and lecture them about the proper ways of raising a child so that he won't end up to be a dumbass teenager like he was.

Kamui's eyebrows raised and his head tipped to one side. "What did god say?"

She interrupted them earlier by suddenly dropping into her knees and praying a prayer only three year olds with no religious experience would pray. She mixed up two prayers and got all the words wrong. It was hilarious for him, but he wouldn't teach her the proper words. It was not his job and it would not do well to his reputation if word spreads out at he knew all of the prayers and all the names of the angels. He blamed his mother.

"That you're a prat." She replied.

Kamui didn't react well on her insult.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry I'm too far away from you to strangle. Those handcuffs must really_ infuriate_ you." She was hoping he'd get pissed enough to break free and start punching her face, because one, she needed someone to knock sense into her and two, that meant they were free.

It didn't work. It turns out that even their strength had their limitations.

She needed to do something. She was not going to rely on Takasugi's help.

"Just… Just continue on your evil mastermind plan, sorry for interrupting." She waved them off.

Takasugi nodded once then faced Kamui.

"They purposefully left me alive and treated me so that they could do a public execution. They want to use it to give warning to the other right? So what day did they pick?" Kamui asked. Takasugi was mostly in shadow, but the limited light morphed his face to an eye glinting cyborg.

"Three days from now." Takasugi drawled.

Kamui beamed, but there was nothing remotely warm in his smile. It brought shivers down Takasugi's back.

Realization hit the Samurai like a slap in the face. This was what brought him to Kamui, he thought silently. Kamui was one of _them_, Katsura, Gintoki, the Bakufu. He was no different, powerful, manipulating. Takasugi felt a surge of blood warm his fingertips. The singular factor that separated Kamui from the rest of the merry band was that he was in his own twisted morals, on Takasugi's side.

There existed a short pithy expression about birds with same feather patterns.

"Three days huh?" The Yato's smile disappeared to a more subtle one. "I wonder who will die first. Me or you?"

Takasugi shrugged.

"You do understand, right? Every last one of these guys in the Harusame only thinks of their own interests. It's a foolish organization where everyone's trying to take a bite out of one another. Even with our power, they can't directly attack the Bakufu. No matter how much respect you pay. They'll just use and use you until the day you get fired… literally." Kamui nodded politely.

Different means to the same end, they were bound to be friends from the beginning.

"True enough… Even if I'm used or being used, with this kind of a worthless partner, it's boring." The samurai said truthfully.

"Kamui…If you stay at a place like this, those hard earned fangs will rot right from your mouth."

There was pause and the both of their eyes locked in grim understanding.

"Why are you here in the first place?" The Captain asked Takasugi.

"I'm the same as you, aimlessly wandering for a place to pierce my unshapely leftover fangs" he said which was utter bullshit because both of them knew very well that his bloody fangs were sharp as fuck. Takasugi walked forward, ready to conclude his meeting with the Captain of the seventh division. Kamui pulled a face.

"But there is nowhere to go in a broken down ship like this. But since I am on it, I really wanted to see someone like you riding it too."

Kamui liked to think that he was successful in pretending to be bewildered, Takasugi bought it. She didn't. Chiaki found herself scared, like she was in the same cage with a sleeping lion, a _hungry _sleeping lion. It was the same batshit insane look that brought everyone to this trouble.

"See you later." Takasugi raised his hand in the air as a sign of goodbye.

"Space brawler-san."

Both prisoners stood still until they heard his footsteps disappear.

Chiaki didn't say anything.

"So." Kamui turned his attention on her, which was something she didn't appreciate at the moment.

"Shall we continue on with our conversation?" He offered. Her heart was thundering, and an eye contact left her with a sinking feeling that she didn't understand.

"What conversation? We weren't having a conversation earlier." She raised her eyebrow.

Kamui changed the subject with a practiced smile. "Being forgetful on purpose aren't we?"

"Forgetful? What forgetful… pfftt …there wasn't _anything_ worthy of talking about in the first place, and… and… oh look! You seem to be quite busy being in chains. I'll leave you to that. Yes, that's a _great_ idea… We are _not_ talking about… kissing!" She smacked her lips and gave him an Oscar winning smile before deflating into her usual slightly cynical pace.

When he didn't speak, she thanked him in her head and gave her minutes to recover.

_How to bust out of jail._

"Squeeze through the bars?" She whispered to herself and brought her hands to hold two metal bars tightly separating her from freedom. At least she wasn't put into those restricting handcuffs like they did on her Captain. They must have figured out that humans were weaker compare to the other races. She could do it, maybe, if she really tried. She shouldn't have eaten all those Flamin' hot Cheetos. She blamed Aiko for handing her bags after bags of them.

"You can't do that, you're too… fat." Kamui leaned back this time and Chiaki gaped at him.

"I'm not… I'm not _fat!_ Look at this!" She tore her lab coat off and she lifted the sleeve of her red shirt up for emphasis. She was thin. Okay, maybe the reason Aiko hurled the Cheetos at her was because she was too thin. She gained five kilograms, that's_ something._

The Captain recoiled in distaste then made a comment about how she should eat more, which was followed by her expressing that not everybody was born to be a vacuum cleaner for food like he was.

"If you were back in your planet, you could be one of those hangers that walk around with fancy clothes."

"Well, thank you for that. But they're not called hangers, they're called models."

"Is this going to be a thing now?" He asked bluntly.

Chiaki opened her mouth and closed it when she found out she couldn't think of a retort. She could only stare at some other object aside from his lovely face because he was _gloating._

"Yes, right." She muttered then tried to squeeze herself through the bars. She angled her body so that she could insert her right arm and shoulder, after much struggling Chiaki managed to pull her head out to freedom. "Halfway through!" She announced and smiled at Kamui.

He watched her unamused with half lidded eyes. Slowly, painfully slowly, he put his chained hands up and gave her a slow sarcastic clap.

"Yes, because sitting in your ass with no escape plan is something to be proud of."

He hummed and stared at her long enough for her to feel naked. Then he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

"Thank you for your valuable support as always, Captain."

Chiaki held the bar nearest to her face with her free arm and forced her torso to inch further out. She could feel the cold metal rub painfully against her hipbones and she knew then that her mode of escape was impossible. Damn genetics, her hips were too wide and even if she did it sideways, her spine and ribs couldn't make it.

It was too freaking embarrassing.

"Hey, what's going on here?" The guard scrunched his face in confusion. _The heck?_ He thought. He wasn't the usual guard, it was his cousin. His cousin who was currently taking a vacation in the lovely shoal planet, his cousin who probably had two or more women sitting on his lap right now while he drank juice out of a coconut. The guard wasn't in any way jealous. He was told that the job was easy and the pay was good.

He didn't expect something as stupid as this in the first day.

"By Arceus" –which was a pagan god from where he came from– the guard scratched his head and silently glared at the nurse. "It's a_ human_ as well, I hope they aren't as stupid as how my cousin described them." Because voicing out his rude thoughts was necessary. He looked human-ish as well, with only paler skin and a pair of horns growing from his orange hair. He also liked wearing sharkskin in occasions.

Chiaki wasn't happy.

She watched him scratch his head further before he cleared his throat and did a little dance.

"You… cannot…leave… the… cell." He said slowly.

"I perfectly understand your language thank you, and humans are not idiots. We're just a little too daring for our own good." She said and he blinked. She watched his face turn redder and redder before he was reduced to a stuttering mess of apologies.

"You still cannot leave the cell." He concluded.

Thankfully, Chiaki thought. Her luck didn't give her some overweight lecher who couldn't keep his hands to himself. Maybe the universe finally pitied her.

"I know, but can you push me back inside, this position really hurts."

He did and left. Afterwards she felt a little better. Humiliated, but comfortable.

Kamui was quiet; she managed to sneak a few glances before his attention was all on her. She crawled to her wall farthest from him and sat down. The bruises that marred his features had already faded away. The small cuts, the flecks of blood, all those tiny details had already disappeared, like they didn't exist in the first place.

Gods he was a selfish prick. She thought, remembering herself weeping all over him. She didn't want to relive the memory. She was trapped too! He had the gall to say 'I've been in worse situations than this, stop crying' when in truth, she had been crying for herself and not for his arrogant ass.

"Captain?" She tested the waters, she knew he wasn't sleeping. She was going to call him again when he opened his eyes and glared at her with such intensity that could only be translated as, 'I was sleeping, what is it do you fucking want?'

"You weren't sleeping." She said, because he was laughing the entire time she was getting pushed back in her cell.

It was quiet then. She didn't actually think that he would respond to her calling him. A few minutes of amused silence flew over them before he broke it.

"You wanted to know more about me, you say?" He teasingly asked.

She nodded. "This might sound creepy, but I once asked the vice-captain if he knew anything about your past– "

"What did he say?"

"Let me finish, he wouldn't budge and when I pestered him more about it, he told me to keep my nose off people's business."

"He's right."

"He's always right." She smiled genuinely.

"And yet here you are, asking me the same thing that he wouldn't give you." Kamui paused. "What would you do with the information if I told you?"

"I would cherish it and use it as a reminder that I have leveled up from the tier of _human scum_ to _actual living thing with a brain and feelings._" Which wasn't utter bullshit.

"You first." He said too quickly and she choked on her spit.

"I thought we agreed on _next time_." _I'm not ready!_

"Now is next time."

"Ah, now I see the charming wit Aiko and the others titter about." She said and he seemed to want her to say something else.

Chiaki took a deep breath and he could tell she hesitated at first before speaking.

_Here goes… _

"I can't really remember what my biological mother looks like, my dad has pictures, but I always imagine her as a different person. When I was still in her stomach–"

"In her uterus." He interrupted.

"… in her uterus…my dad moved us from the countryside to the city, I remember him being at work most of the time. I don't blame him, he was a good man and even when we were wealthier than most, he still worked harder for us. My mom was a nurse, but my dad didn't like her working. He said that I needed to be taken care of. So she quit."

Kamui didn't say that he didn't give a damn about his mother.

He didn't say that he just wanted her to keep him from prematurely dying due to boredom.

He didn't say anything.

"So every Saturday, after baby school, she used to bring me to this shitty park –the kind where fountains reek of green pond stuff. She would sing to me stupid baby songs and carry me around. She used to smoke a lot too. When my dad wasn't around and I couldn't sleep at night, she would bring me to the roof of the house and we'd watch the stars. I had this happy meal toy binocular that didn't actually work, but we pretended it did. It was really fun."

She swallowed.

"It was nearing winter and I couldn't sleep. It was really cold, like snow trudging kind of cold. I went to her bed and asked if we could go to the roof. She didn't want to, but I was being a brat. I pestered her and when we went up, it was so cloudy that I couldn't see anything. It was okay, she told me. Then the day after that, she began coughing. I didn't take notice; I was a shitty kid who played princess a lot. I mean… she coughed too much, like she wanted her lung to go out or something." Chiaki swallowed.

He kept his face completely neutral and he nodded once.

"Then… she just died, I didn't know what to do then. I woke up late for class and when I went to her room and tried to wake her, she was just _cold._" Chiaki's eyebrows scrunched and she massaged her temples.

"The operator in the phone asked me if I had tried waking her up, I told him yes, many times and she was stiff. Then the house was full of men in uniforms; one wrapped me in a blanket. I saw my dad drive in from outside, he talked to a man in a uniform and he cried." She didn't cry. She missed her mother, but it didn't occur to her what really happened until the next year came rolling in. When she was given complicated textbooks to read and when she stopped being a child.

"I had a new mom in elementary, a pretty mom. I thought it was good for my dad, but even when it was, I think. Nobody paid attention to me. It wasn't bad, it was horrible. I was a seven and I did everything on my own, I did everything for dad to acknowledge me. I studied hard, I aced everything and I didn't watch Pokémon because I did all my maths… It didn't make sense, not to a kid anyway. My dad didn't _hate_ me, he just didn't care so much. Mum paid attention to me but it was like ten minutes during breakfast and as a kid, it wasn't damn near enough. It continued on and I don't know why it didn't occur to me to rebel. It just felt annoyingly wrong."

"Halfway through high school, I thought, _fuck it_, I skipped class, took the train and walked in the University and took entrance exam." She smiled and he could see her dimples.

"I freaking aced it, my face went to the papers and dad's cigarette dropped when he saw my face in the headlines."

"Did you have friends?" He found himself ask.

She blinked dumbly.

"Three, well, two actually, I got them in college." She explained, then she pursed her lips. "Should I continue?"

"Yes." He said and felt something wrench in his stomach.

"If I knew how difficult it would be, I shouldn't have done that stupid thing. But I did. The school gave me a bunch of red roses –out of everything. I was forced to say some speech in front of hundreds of people while I hear my teachers tear up and tell lies of how much of a good and honest person I am." A prodigy, she heard them say. When all that she did was search what the exams were made off and studied the terms.

"The University was_ huge_ and I suddenly felt vulnerable. My classmates talked about relationships while my boobs just began growing" Kamui snorted. She ignored him. "They thought I was adorable, and even if I didn't tell it to dad, I was struggling with my subjects. My seatmates helped me by giving me their assignments and I met the doctor. –oh! I forgot to say that my dad hated my course, I chose nursing and he thought it sucked, but I was a half scholar and I promised him that I will think of something better in a few months–Anyway the doctor was like Gandhi, he helped poor people and didn't charge much. He also smelled like dirt. He taught in the school for extra income and I started to follow him around, asking questions and stuff. He'd treat me to coffee –said I was too young at first– and I just began spending my holidays in his clinic."

"He acted like my dad and he even volunteered to take my dad's place in graduation since my real dad needed to go to Hokkaido for an important trip. I forgot all about my need to study hard for the sake of someone to look on my direction. I studied because when the doctor made ridiculously hard tests and if I get a few mistakes, he smiled like an idiot and it felt far more genuine than what I get from my dad. Even my classmates seemed closer to me than him… There one ridiculously hot afternoon, I volunteered to guard the clinic because the doctor needed to do errands; I was studying for my finals–"

"Then we came." Kamui cut her off and she smiled a little.

* * *

**Abuto: 7th division fleet**

The ship on his left was reduced into smithereens.

There was no grand explosion either. There was a rupture of yellow orange light that tore the cauldron black of space in a heartbreaking half. Abuto was able to see it, all of it, just after picking himself up from the debris of the shockwave. How the blinding light of _death_ gripped into his head like a fog. The place of his kind was in the battlefield –he shouldn't complain– but the weight of loss thickened the lining of chest and he found himself unable to breathe.

"Sir, the fuel's leaking and the calibration is everywhere!" The pilot screamed. He sniveled like a babe. He was the new recruit, Abuto thought. Plenty of experience in the war zone yes, but this wasn't his niche. His stomach churned in the idea of dying in space.

He was just nearing his twenties, nothing but a mere lad.

What a shame it was, the man he played poker with was on the blown up ship.

The panels of his vessel moaned under pressure and he could hear the bolts snapping off.

Abuto approached the thirty million dollar worth of cutting edge technology and gave it a good thumping.

The space calibration system whinnied before sparks flew out from its sides.

"How long are we going to last out here?" the vice-captain asked, his voice felt distant. There was fire inside the room, hot on the ceiling, burning the wires. Smoke entered his lungs.

"Seven, ten minutes" the co-pilot covered his mouth with a cloth doused in drinking water. He quickly tied the fabric around his face and everyone seemed to quiet down. Abuto's heart pumped, he could feel the blood coursing through his veins like a wild river, and he could hear it. They were severely outmatched, in his calculation one member to a staggering thirty and they were losing numbers fast. The ship creaked once more and its earsplitting noise almost brought him to his knees.

What about Kamui? Ah, yes, the Captain of the ship who doomed them all by not thinking things through.

Abuto would have a _long _conversation with the idiot later.

"Sir?" Another fresh recruit, Abuto didn't even know his name yet. All was looking at him, hoping. All eyes were afraid, _excited_.

There was a radio transmitter in his hand. Abuto clutched it and put it hear his trembling lips. The sound of sirens wailed in the air.

"Men, full speed ahead!"

The engines hummed with life and he could already hear the heads of his enemies roll.

"Shizuo."

"Yessir!" The pilot's hand yanked a lever and the ship paced forward, to the Kiheitai, to the Harusame.

"You have to bring me to the Kiheitai ship first before you can land… there." He pointed at the Admiral's private vessel. It was humungous, a bulging beast made of metal. The young man nodded and he steered expertly, avoiding the debris that could tear holes into their own ship.

Abuto barked orders and soon, four men stood behind him, ready to board the Kiheitai's ship.

"Yamada, bring your men to the main vessel of the Admiral's fleet. Take over its command and destroy the remaining fleet, you have thirty minutes before they retaliate, do not touch the Kiheitai."

Their own boat didn't seem to be able to hold on much longer. They needed to board, fast.

He tied a strip of cloth around his fist. Once Abuto eyed that the Kihetai's vessel was near enough, he signaled his grunts to follow him. It was time for diplomacy, negotiation. Abuto figured out the Admiral.

"Vice-captain, sir, how do you know we have thirty minutes?" Yamada asked out of curiosity, they all knew that under all that Abuto's hair gel laid the brain of a genius. To predict his moves were a difficulty. The Vice-captain simply scoffed, his upper lip twisted into an ugly smirk.

"Compared to us, these dickless pirates are cowards."

* * *

**Kiheitai: Kiheitai main ship**

"I'm not a coward… I'm not a coward." Takechi Henpeita shivered under his clothes. There was a long unused sword in his hands, in his shaking hands.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, no. It was supposed to all succeed, then he would go back to his homeland and reject that pesky Edo Ordinance Regarding the Healthy Development of Youths. Just for the knowledge of everyone, he would also like to point out that he was not a pedophile but a blooming feminist. The Yato were supposed to die. He was supposed to live, and where were Bansai and Matako when he needed them? He was alone and he was going to die.

Takechi closed his almond shaped eyes and tottered nervously to the main control room. If he could find anyone who can fight for him then his margin of success would rapidly increase.

He quickly dialed the passcode and entered.

It was the little details that will haunt him at night. Bodies were simply bodies, dead lumps of flesh in red twisty shapes on the floor. Takechi will remember the tuft of bloody hair that wrapped itself around his toes, the shining puddles on the floor, the grey of their bones peeking from bullet holes. The way the eyes of his comrades stare at him unblinkingly without seeing, the god-awful smell that he will never forget.

His arms trembled and he jumped and _screamed_ when Abuto stepped out from the shadows.

"Geez, I can't believe a gaffer like you is their head of command." He said, there were bits of flesh and hair on sticking on his umbrella.

"D-don't!" Takechi stuttered and his knees hit the ground. His katana fell shamefully in the ground.

Abuto shrugged and kicked off the man's sword.

"My men aren't pleased to be in this shit boat. You humans are too pathetic." He remembered the nurse and bit his tongue back to lessen the insults. Humans were like squishy bags of blood and meat, one was able to cut off a piece of his cloak, but it was all they could do. He had ordered the others to stand by and stop the rampage already. The sooner he would get the cooperation of the Kiheitai, the faster he would be able to get a real fight.

Takechi whimpered, from the corner of his eyes, he saw a shamisen string.

_Bansai._

Before Abuto was fast enough to register, a sturdy metal string tied itself around the column of his neck and cut deeply like a knife. Blood beaded out from the wound before it spurted out, staining his blonde hair. It wasn't enough though, the wound was only skin deep. The vice-captain couldn't do anything but smirk.

With one swift motion, he severed the string with his metal arm. He held tight onto the string that wasn't tied to him and yanked it hard.

The shamisen connected to it flew directly at him, followed by a strategically thrown blade that almost made it through his eye.

Almost.

Then he did what Bansai least expected. He _clapped._

"That was a very good one you see, but I didn't come here for that. I am here to talk." His smile was of a cutthroat and when Bansai approached him suspiciously. Abuto slid to him, grabbed his leg and with lightning speed, hurled Kawakami Bansai to a hiding Matako. She yelped and tumbled into the ground in a heap. Once satisfied, he breathed in, turned into the democratic version of himself and sat down with the pedophile for a talk concerning the imminent death of their superiors and treacherous Admirals.

* * *

**Kamui and Chiaki: Prison**

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to." Said Chiaki, who was trying to make loud noises by blowing into a piece of micropore tape she found stuck uncomfortably on her elbow a few minutes back. She wasn't expecting anything really. The Captain was more of a socially inept pirate whose only concerns were new fighting methods and how he would face against a band of warriors of any species he encounters. The nurse wasn't expecting anything. She didn't expect him to want to do it as well.

She heard him clear his throat and she looked at him from her cell.

"You can add it to the next time list." She said because he was struggling.

"Captain?" She called his name and she thought, _shit_ it _was_ a bad idea to bring about the past. It felt somewhat right earlier. Like it was a sign that she still –even if half the time, he wanted to stab all of them for half-assed reasons– had trust on him. Not because she had no choice, because she chose to and there he was, struggling, glaring daggers at her because he felt the need to reciprocate.

"Captain?" She tried again and he told her with all the social graces he possessed to shut her mouth.

The silence after that was bottomless. Chiaki didn't breathe and she looked at him with wide eyes that could have been his sister's. Seconds tick slowly and even slower, his eyes connect to hers and he opened his mouth to speak.

"My father married my mother when he found out that she was pregnant, he walked out of the door when I was two years old. When I was four, he showed up at the house and the next year. I had a sister. He left before she was born and he sent money every month in the post office." He glanced at her and she was staring back intently.

"My mom had a shitty job at a restaurant. She would switch from washing dishes to serving customers. It took most of her time; she would leave Kagura and me under the care of Abuto's _'mother.' _It was a horrible orphanage, stock full of idiots and the lady curses and hits us a lot. The food was disgusting as well." Anyway, I learned how to fight there and my mother didn't know…When I was twelve, my mother went home with a fever. She couldn't eat anything and she didn't go to work. Days turned to weeks and her boss went to our house and told her she was fired because of her attendance. I asked my sister to write a letter to my rotten old man. It was the third month that he didn't send money, and my mom's savings couldn't feed two hungry kids. I was terrified. There were doctors on the other side of the city and I ran to them. They said that it was an expensive disease, that we needed money. …"

Chiaki could hear her heart pounding.

"I went to the orphanage and before I knew it Abuto crawled under his bed and gave me this tin box filled with all his money. I didn't eat and waited for pops to respond. He didn't." Kamui paused. He felt like he was saying it too damn fast, but the look in her eyes said that it was okay.

"There was a rich fat man in the next city and if you could beat ten of his men without pause, you could get a bag of money." She could see his fist clench and unclench.

"I killed the tenth man."

"Oh.." Chiaki said, surprised.

Three weeks after that, Kamui thought. Her mother would smile at him from her bed and she ruffled his hair with her smooth hands. There was medicine on the table beside her –painkillers, because the doctors couldn't do anything anymore. He shouldn't have relied on his father; he should have taken matters into his own hands.

_"It's too late."_ One said with honeyed words that only made him angrier. When they left, darkness took over him and he relished the feel of their blood in his hands. That night, Kagura slept in his room and his mother said._ "I'm so glad your dad never left us, even when he's away… Kamui, could you reach me that glass of water?"_ Because he never told her that Umibozu stopped sending money. That he had abandoned the only woman who actually cared for him, who waited for him.

He didn't give her the glass. He stood up, the chair toppled on the ground and he left.

He returned to the arena. It was strangely empty. He walked to the back and saw a multitude of groaning and crying men. Standing atop them was a tall man with long white hair that whipped in the wind. It was Hosen.

"Captain." Chiaki whispered and he snapped out of his stupor. She could see him visibly shake from liquid rage.

"I'm sorry." She said, "It wasn't my intention for this to happen." He looked angry at the world. "It's my stupid optimism that led me to think –like an idiot–that most people had it easier."

"You don't have to continue if you want–"

"I ripped off my father's arm when he came to visit and I left my dying mother and little sister to fend for themselves. She died a week after. _What do you think of me now?_" He said so quickly that it took seconds for her to let it all sink in.

She was the embodiment of ridiculousness, she thought. Pink hair, a _human_ working under homicidal space pirate aliens who were weak under the sun, pretending to be someone she was not. She was a student who wanted to be a nurse, not the best doctor in the Harusame. And to top it all off she was infatuated with the man who kidnapped her, who went against all her morals.

What the hell was she trying to prove?

What did she think of him?

Time to be freakin poetic

"Captain, when I think of you. I remember the man who saved me from falling to my death in a desert planet. I see the person who allowed a human girl with the strength of a hamster follow him around and even pledge herself to him. You are twisted enough to stab people to death for the smallest reasons but you are also a great leader. You provide your men a reason to trudge through daily horrors of living. I think of you as what I think of you and I don't think that will change."

What was left to be said? That he was the cause of the ebb and flow of luck she never took the time to appreciate? That when she thought of home, she couldn't imagine it without the sunset color of his hair and the mounds and mounds of paperwork she had to deal with non-stop?

Well.

"Sleep" Kamui said, he was going to flood the floor with the Admiral's blood first. "I will continue, but next time."

Chiaki asked if she could bring food.

* * *

**Kiheitai and Abuto: Kiheitai main ship**

"Shinsuke-sama…" Shijima Matako was afraid, she was very afraid.

Pirating was not for everyone. Some grow up to be gardeners, thieves, murderers, but pirating was different. It was much more complicated to be an extremist working for a one eyed ball of hatred shaped like a man who was currently working for pirate scum who wanted his head stuck on a pole, preferably with all their heads littered on the ground for decoration.

"Do you understand the gravity of your situation?" Abuto's voice echoed in the room, he sipped his tea too loud.

"We cannot say for sure that the both of our idiot leaders have been killed yet." This time, it was Bansai who spoke. His face was a little puffed up from the side, making his black glasses sit uncomfortably. He too, sipped his tea too loud. He moved his leg and frowned when it made contact with someone's dead arm.

He gave the Yato a disappointed look.

"Hey, don't blame me, they started attacking first." Abuto shrugged. "I'm not fond of theatrics but our Admiral is, you see, if you get into his little brain, he would be using this opportunity to make a show for everyone."

"A public execution." Henpeita muttered.

"Precisely." Abuto sipped his tea once more. Damn that was some good tea. Tremors tore through the ship. He smiled a little, looks like the Admiral's own private fleet wasn't much of a challenge after all.

"So what do you suggest we do then?" Matako asked.

Bansai plucked his Shamisen. The dull sound cascaded through the air, ripped colorful patterns of bloodshed in the atmosphere only the player could fathom. He looked up at the darkness of the universe and she caught him smirk.

"We pick a fight against the world."

There was a flash of lightning of pure white, strobing across the darkness of space. The group fell silent. Then slowly, one by one, they picked themselves up from their seats and approached the large glass window. There was a mass of thick fat purple clouds approaching them. Soundless lightning streaked in the distance, blocking their path to base. They would have to maneuver through this galactic storm if they want to reach the base fast enough.

Abuto cursed.

* * *

**Takasugi Shinsuke: Some dirty hallway with lots of peeps**

There were people, throngs of them, noisy, smelly _barbarians._

The smell of space largely differed from the smell in the countryside, not even the city came close. It reeked recycled air from hundreds of different species, like poison to his lungs. For a small moment, Takasugi stood in the middle of the large dome. He closed his eyes.

_"But it sure is screwed up through… that even a violent mo-fo like him and his guys who achieved so much are ending up…"_

_"The Harusame only does things for its own good."_

They were all whispering. Surely the Admiral had figured it out that he would lose a number of his underlings if he continued what he was doing. Takasugi brought his lips to the end of his pipe and breathed in the last of its smoke. _It doesn't matter. _The human mused and he walked forward. Pawns will always be pawns, their numbers will multiply in months' time. Destroying the seventh division would leave a gaping wound, but it will heal, and another powerful group will be dragged into the mess.

He opened his eye then Takasugi saw the boy, six human years of age, he thought.

He sat on a makeshift bench near the entrance; the only feature separating him from being human was his pointy ears and green hair.

_The Admiral's son._

The lad would have been ignored easily, but Takasugi's eye found something peculiar about the boy.

"What happened to your cheek?" The human bent down and casually reached out for the boy's face.

The young lad recoiled. There was a large purple bruise blooming on his cheekbones, more on his arms and legs. It stirred something in Takasugi.

"I-I fell down the stairs." His eyes seemed to favor the dirty metal ground rather than the _concerned _samurai in front of him. He chanced a glance and immediately looked down on the floor, where his skinny legs bounced back and forth.

"And the ones on your arms and legs, where did they come from?" Takasugi inquired, he made himself sound curious, but he knew. Oh he knew, he could never forget them even he wanted to, before Gintoki, before Sensei, before that bloody war. His father had a heavy hand. "Did you get them from the stairs too?" He continued and the boy's eyes widened. He rubbed his arms and sniffled.

_Admiral Aho is going to damn pay._

"And how are you supposed to do that?" The Captain of the tenth division smiled from behind him. Then a hand, a slim blue hand with dark fingernails landed on Takasugi's shoulder.

He turned around and met an old man with rows upon rows of shark teeth.

"Captain Jiji of the tenth division." Takasugi bowed, it was difficult to mask the disgust from his voice.

"Takasugi Shinsuke. Hmm. And I thought you humans were nothing more but feeble pink little monkeys." His hands folded back and his eyes met the young boy's. "Run along, we adults have business to speak of." He ordered the Admiral's son, who was livid, with a dash of fear. The boy swallowed, loud and before he knew it Takasugi could see his skinny legs wobble around aliens that towered him.

"I can't say I thought differently with your species Captain." Takasugi was not a ball of diplomacy and mannerisms. He was hardly a ball at all.

Captain Jiji's head cocked to the side with interest.

"Say, do you play chess?" He inquired, there was a lilt in his tone that made him sound like he was singing.

"I don't"

The Captain visibly deflated. It was very evident to the both of them the extent of his disappointment.

"That boy will die not long after his father does."

If Takasugi felt angry, he didn't show.

"All in your help" the Captain continued. He lost his interest. He gave one last look at Takasugi before he ambled pass him. Takasugi recognized the blue old man the moment he spoke. He was an elite member of a very controversial race. Oh, and he smelled like flesh too, why bother with the cologne that accentuates your manliness when you can smell like frozen chicken feet all day long and scare children off.

"Of course, if you want to save him, you can always make arrangements."

Takasugi needed his Yakult fix, and fast.

* * *

It was complicated the first the time she did it.

It was still complicated on the second attempt.

Before Kamui was hauled off to wherever they were going to assassinate him publicly. He had said several things to her.

"Do not attempt to escape. _Do not follow me_." Then cue the large heavy footsteps and they hauled him away. His face was calm like he didn't give a flying fuck about anything.

And before that,

"You are somewhat valuable to them. They will kill me because they need a show, they will not kill you because you can be sold."

_Jesus Christ, sold._

He was right, he was the only one picked up for the execution, which was among most reasons why her body was stuck between the bars _again._ It was painful. She called help several times before she heard a sound of disbelief and raging footsteps from the same guard days ago.

"Lady! Didn't you already learn your lesson the first time?" He asked. His arms tried to emphasize his point.

Chiaki's shoulders were really starting to hurt.

"I needed to make sure." Was the reply, and he groaned miserably and thought of why he even agreed to take the job in the first place.

He rubbed his stubble and went to grab her arms which were on the freer side of the jail. It seemed to him that holding on to a different part would be wrong and ungentlemanly of him. He pushed.

"Ooowwww!" Chiaki cried. He could see her cheeks flush red in pain. "You have to pull me from the inside, it will be easier." She said and he nodded.

He really wanted to get over this. In five minutes Nar*to will be showing and he really wanted to see Tsun*de's rack. The keeper of the keys opened his front pocket and produced a large metal key. He squinted and opened the door with precision. Chiaki's jail cell was way cleaner than the others, which he was being grateful on the inside. Maybe it went with being a woman.

The Amanto approached her and paled.

Now what? What was he going to grab on? Her lower body was content on being stuck on the inner part of the jail because her hipbones were too large to fit in between the bars. Holding her waist would be shameful, what if the other guards passed by and saw him like that?

Fortunately for him, it was the nurse's escape plan. She quickly unstuck herself and leaped like a feral cat. Her fingers twisted to a hook and she lashed out, aiming for the guard's face.

The guard heard her approach and in a split second, he stepped to his side and caught the nurse by the collar. He held her by her red shirt and she kicked him in the stomach. It hurt him, but not enough to let her go. Chiaki hung defenseless and she closed her eyes, awaiting his painful retaliation.

"Uuuhh." The guard said.

"Just get it over with!" Chiaki yelled, her eyes were shut tightly.

"You know… you're not in the list." She opened one eye and stared at him questioningly.

"What list?" She blinked in confusion.

"Your cell, normally, we guards have a list on who goes to which cell. Red braids had one. You don't. I was wondering why you were staying inside… and you know what? Later, a new batch of prisoners will be arriving and your cell will be occupied by someone from Alpha Centauri 32-12. You know, the usual thug." He shrugged and put her down.

Chiaki gaped at him.

"Yo-you mean I'm not really a prisoner?"

"Your door was not locked."

The nurse felt her world tumble to pieces. She felt the familiar chill of despair and fought not to scream, but tears stung her eyes.

She was _free_. She could have walked away from the beginning. Got a shower, maybe get Kamui something substantial food so he wouldn't complain and all. She could have found another way to stop his execution. She could have stole the guards' keys and freed him _days_ ago. Her head felt dizzy.

Sensing her discomfort, the guard scratched his orange cropped head.

"Uhh…" He said. "If you want, I can spread lies that you sped through the guards and rendered me unconscious with your glorious fighting skills, making it possible for you to escape." He swallowed.

Chiaki rubbed her eyes and the sensation of relief she felt wasn't at all the comforting sort.

"Which way are they taking the Captain?"

"Seventh floor, pass the fish tanks, the quickest way is to go through the emergency stairs. Right there." He pointed at a conveniently placed dark staircase beside a cell holding a green skinned lizard man.

"Uhm… yes… thanks, I guess."

"Anytime"

* * *

She numbly climbed the stairs. Her hands and feet felt colder than before and for the first time in her life, she felt utterly lost. What would she do now? She couldn't save him. She didn't have the power to; she didn't have an extraordinary skill of manipulation or anything useful that could help him or herself. She passed by the fourth floor when she felt her lips tremble.

Aiko and Abuto would have been dead by now, if they succeeded, Kamui would be soon, and what would happen to her.

She secretly envisioned a perfect world where everyone lived and where the vice-captain didn't lose his arm.

She could at least see him off with a smile.

To see his death would haunt her forever, but it felt much more honorable than to run now and force herself to forget. At least she would have something to remember him by, to remember all of them by, even if they were nightmares.

"What are you planning to do when you get to your Captain?" The voice sounded like the one in the back of her head, the voice she thought in.

She looked up and on the fifth floor, Takasugi leaned on the railings. There was a pipe in his hand and a dozen empty Yakult bottles around his feet. The glowing end of his pipe released tendrils of smoke that made his face look menacing in the dark. She watched him inhale cancer.

_I don't know._

"I'm going to see him off with a smile." He snorted at that.

He wasn't interested, but her company was better than the Yakult bottles.

"I will be the executioner." He puffed and smoke escaped his nostrils, reminding her of a dragon.

"… good for you." She muttered and the numbness ached. Chiaki silently walked passed him when she found his free hand grab her elbow. She shivered involuntarily.

"You don't want to save him?" He inquired.

"Bro, listen. I want to save him, _really_ want to save him. But what can I do? Even if I ask you to save him I doubt you'd do it. I can't do _anything_. I'm a weak-ass nurse with emotional issues and probably stage 100 Stockholm syndrome!" Chiaki swallowed hard. Her throat tightened.

Then she began coughing when she almost choked down a room worth of smoke. Takasugi looked sagely at nothing in particular and smirked.

"You're not very bright, are you?" He remarked and she blinked. "That idiot Captain of yours will survive if he's good as what he claims to be." His lips curved disturbingly upwards.

"We had an agreement after all." She failed to understand his reference, of when it happened. She wasn't well versed in the language of trigger happy villains.

"See him off with a smile, but bring something to fight with." As annoyingly obscure he was, he left the nurse a glimmer of hope.

* * *

Chiaki cursed the heavens, she cursed the gods.

Nobody filters the audience of an execution. Nobody filters their weapons. Nobody saw her when she walked in, pink hair and pale skin and all that. If anyone saw her, they did not say anything. When she squeezed her way near the front of the crowd –where people were so condensed she was actually glad to be smaller than the most of them –a man complained when she pushed him a little harder. But she saw that he recognized her and he stopped.

Nobody wanted the Captain dead, and yet there he was, faking a smile for the audience.

He didn't know she was standing there. She would have preferred it if he didn't.

"Take a good look, all of you! This fool thought that he could rebel! Defying me is the same as defying the senate elders." The Admiral's voice echoed in the room. There was something irritatingly self-centered about him.

"Fat bastard" someone whispered beside her.

"Defying the senate is the same as defying the Harusame himself. Making light if his law and even an army of iron will be reduced to a rowdy mob." Chiaki briefly thought if it was possible to shoot him from her distance.

It wasn't. The pistol she _borrowed_ from the security guard earlier won't do the job.

"Keh, he really drawls on especially about 'rowdy mobs' eh?" said the alien behind her. The others nodded.

"_Kamui_. Yours was an existence that caused nothing but strife within our ranks, but at least at its end. You will die for the sake of the foundation of the organization." Admiral Abo said, preparing the end of the young man.

"Do you have any last words?" Just for politeness. The Admiral, was, after all, still of good breeding. He didn't think himself as a barbarian. No barbarian would be able to stand at the top, he thought.

"In that case… could I say just one thing?" Kamui's civility brought her chest flipping.

"Admiral _asshole_!" He yelled with a genuine smile.

"KILL HIM, KILL HIM DEEEAD" Chiaki could hear aliens snicker. It was masked by the Admiral's screaming. It was crystal clear that the lot of the pirates would rather follow the Yato. However, she was not laughing. Chiaki knelt down and after she was satisfied that she could not be seen, brought the pistol to her eye and aimed at the Admiral's head. The bullet would not reach, she thought. Even if a miracle decided to glue itself on the bullet and reach the Admiral, she would be simply executed along with him. The masses wanted Kamui as their leader, but no one would dare defy the Admiral without a good back-up.

"Admiral Assho- I mean, Admiral Abou, why not leave him to me?" Takasugi stepped into the ring. The nurse scrunched her eyebrows.

"At least, if I can't be this guy's opponent. I can grant him an assisted suicide." She immediately aimed at Takasugi's head. She would kill this man first, she decided, it was possible. Her finger felt heavy on the trigger and she met the man's eye. It was subtle, but she was sure he nodded at her direction.

She put down her gun.

Right.

Time seemed to slow down. Everyone leaned forward to catch a hint of what Takasugi was telling Kamui. Their voices were barely audible. Then before Chiaki could bite down her scream, Takasugi swiftly brought his glistening sword upon the Yato's torso. The bonds that bound his arms to a cement pillar broke and her Captain fell smoothly to the cold ground in a soft thud.

This was the end of Kamui's destinies, the close that he had brought upon himself. His ships and army in flames, his captive free, and his remaining family to never see him again, he will meet his mother in the other side –where she will hold him dear. The once known as the strongest of the Harusame. Now, he was on the ground as a nameless corpse, whose head will be torn from his shoulders and bright blue eyes pecked off its sockets.

That was what the Admiral wanted.

For as Chiaki stood up and pointed her pistol at Takasugi. With the most emotion she felt in months. She pulled the trigger and a bullet flew past him, slicing off a few strands of his hair.

He faced her and almost as if it was an illusion, he spun around and drew his blade. It shimmered in the light and he swung it broadly to an advancing alien. The nurse felt her knees buckle. She didn't see the aliens coming. They were attacking Takasugi… Her head twisted to the side and saw Captain Gourou yelling orders to kill Takasugi, who was fighting back, cutting heads neatly with a blade so sharp that it cut through armor like paper.

Then from the corner of her eye, Kamui hopped up and flung himself up the back of an unsuspecting Amanto. The Yato was unharmed, smiling; he grabbed the underside of the alien's helmet and snapped his head to the side until his eyes were white and bulging.

"Captain!" Chiaki cried in relief. He didn't hear her, but it didn't matter.

Kamui and Takasugi stood back to back while the watching Amanto roared. None of them knew what to do. Some gripped their weapons tight, awaiting orders, any orders. The entire hall was in chaos. The nurse joined the mass of yelling aliens. But hers was a yell of relief and childish hope.

"Takasugi! You finally show your true face! Dogs that bite their owners will be taught their proper place! You're already a tool which is no longer useful! I'll turn you into space dust!" The Admiral yelled. His knees were shaking in rage. The more loyal of his servants pointed their weapons at the duo. Chiaki couldn't hear whatever Takasugi was saying. He was too far away and his words were only meant for the Admiral's ears. What she heard though, was,

"This is where all of your heads will be severed off."

There was a slow moment when the Admiral yelled to Captain Gourou. The men readied their weapons and Chiaki killed another.

Nobody heard the gunshot. Because when she aimed and put a bullet through Captain Gourou's head, there was a large explosion that shook the ground with its might. The smell of burnt gunpowder assaulted her senses and the noise deafened her right ear for a second. She looked around and saw armed humans no, _samurai _swarm into the hall with their guns blazing.

"Shinsuke –sama!" It was a beautiful lady with two guns. "We will follow you to hell and back!" Matako yelled and shot aliens dead. The humans overwhelmed the surprised aliens. Their swords and guns ripped through flesh and bones and amour. Chiaki put her worries to the back of her mind and immediately dashed to the side where the fighting was less heavy than the one where she came from.

She aimed her gun and began piercing bullets through the skulls of those she could aim at.

There was a Captain yelling. He was struggling to take control, screaming at his subordinates to form ranks against the humans, but the chaos overpowered him and he was soon brought down by a slash of a sword.

"Damned monkeys! What the hell are you fools doing? Kill them!" The Admiral yelled from his perch and Chiaki leaped down to the battlefield, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She could find a spot where she could shoot him down! The nurse was ignored by most pirates and she was able to climb to the other side of a barricade of metal –where the seats were –before another explosion shot through the area. It was strong enough that she fell backwards. Her elbow painfully collided to a bench but it didn't matter.

There were roars of battle lust and her eyes widened. The Yato sounded differently from humans in many ways. Chiaki felt an overwhelming sense of relief that her head felt dizzy.

"Awww, seriously?" Abuto said, stepping from the large opening they made. "We rowed to this tugboat worrying our asses off, thinking of the worst." There were men running from behind him, their eyes shone with excitement. Abuto looked up to the equally mad eyes of his Captain. "But you're perfectly fine, aren'tcha? I just can't get rid of you, _damned moron._"

"Abuto!" Chiaki yelled from her spot, she was grinning like a fool. _They are all alive!_

She could see Aiko bounce from the side with a flourish before ripping a soldier in half with his manicured hands. Chiaki called to him excitedly.

In the midst of panic, the Amanto were an easy kill. Something the Yato wasn't very happy about, but any bloodshed would suffice. She could hear laughter and she wasn't ashamed that it was her own. Chiaki felt her heart leap in eagerness. But at that time, revenge was all that mattered. She glanced up at her perch and huffed angrily when she saw the fleeting form of the Admiral.

It took her three steps when a panicked sob blared behind her. She looked back and recognized the soldier's uniform. An enemy! She thought. She pointed her gun at him and shot him in the chest as a reaction. He yelped in panic and she felt triumphant. The man fell down the floor and his helmet tumbled off his head like a badly thrown bowling ball.

"Aaahhhhhhhh" He yelled, clutching onto the gaping hole in his chest. He squirmed on the floor and she felt her blood run cold. "It _hurts … It hurts. _Please, make it stop!" He was young, with pale skin, orange hair and a pair of horns growing from his scalp. He was the guard that freed her from her cell. He screamed in agony.

"It's gonna be okay." Chiaki knelt beside him and applied pressure on the wound. He couldn't even recognize her. She thought. His head craned to the side as blood spilled from his chest.

"I missed your organs, don't worry." She lied in panic.

She didn't mean to shoot him.

His hands held on her arms desperately. His eyes seemed to pop from his sockets. He flapped in the ground like a dying fish, blood oozed from his nose and mouth and he flapped some more, weaker this time and his breathing ceased.

"No… I'm sorry." Chiaki said, but it was too late. When the adrenaline was washed off her body with humiliation, she saw the battle. She saw the onslaught of her comrades rip lives apart. The pirates were just following orders. Were they like her? Kidnapped as well? She sat back and her eyes met the guard's white ones, his tongue was out, mocking her, even in death. She had killed more than ten men, each swift like lightning. Had the consequences always been this heavy?

A body flew to her left. Its throat was crushed and its assailant leaped through the air and killed him off with a sickening crunch.

"Chiaki." Abuto said in surprise, his face was red all over. He wiped his sweaty forehead with his mechanical arm. It slathered fresh blood onto his forehead and he grimaced. "Here to join the fighting?" He pointed at the corpse beside her and grinned.

She felt shameful. "How do you find this fun?" She whispered.

Abuto stepped to her direction. Chiaki saw Kamui flip into the air smoothly. His hand impaled a tall man that failed to block the blow. He was laughing openly.

"Say it, what are we? If you're going to tell us that we're murderers then do it quickly. I have no time to spare for a brat that can't accept our traditions." He leaned menacingly. She could hear his heart pump in the joy of killing. Far from the both of them, Kamui entered a hallway that led to the Admiral's private ship.

"You are, but your people don't think so." She muttered quietly. Killing was not for her.

"Exactly, alike our races may look like, we are entirely different." His umbrella dripped with blood. "We belong to the battlefield." There was an explosion behind Abuto. A really loud one that made it almost impossible to hear him, but she did. "You don't." He looked behind himself, searching for someone.

"You shouldn't be here. The Captain will be pissed if he finds out." She would be a hindrance to their fighting and he couldn't imagine Kamui being happy is he found out she was killed by something as stupid as a stray bullet.

"Neh~ Abuto-kun. If you hang around Chiaki-chan for too long, you'll miss out all the _juicy_ parts!" Aiko passed by and winked at the vice-captain. He shuddered and resisted the urge to beat his comrade to the ground.

She shook her head. "He's injured and you are bleeding as well. I have to do my job." Surely there were first aid kits attached on exits. She had to find them first.

He snorted and glared at her.

"Fine, but don't come crying to me if he whoops your ass."

* * *

The battle ended in less than thirty minutes.

There were first aid kits after all. After treating the more willing participants –Aiko said he needed to redo his make up so his peeled arm didn't need treatment– and sewing up the rather large bullet holes of the previously seventh division crew –Abuto needed to take a dump, so his embarrassing bullet wound on the leg didn't need medicines and shit– which was difficult, because according to them, it was humiliating to have a woman fuss around you after a battle. Possible conclusions to their reasons: she needed surgery in her genitals or they were just giving petty excuses because they wanted to act manly. She entertained the latter.

"What are you going to do now?" She dared ask the awesomeness that was sitting fancy chair, which was called Kamui. "Without the Admiral–"

"You're looking at the new Admiral." He replied with a smile. She smiled back. "That promotion needed a lot of drama." She nodded sagely. Chiaki moved to pour disinfectant on his arm, but he was faster at dodging her medical ninja skills. She was tired anyway.

They were in a fancier room. A large one with fancy furniture and pillars in the color of gold, there was a window behind him that had the boring view of space.

It took her four hours to finish treating the wounded in battle, she worked with others and patched up even a number of whimpering Amanto despite her lack of knowledge about their anatomy. They were quite similar to animals. She made sure though, to steer clear at this one human with almond eyes that seemed to stare at her creepily with a distance –he was clutching a clipboard– until a blue green themed sunglasses man yanked him by the collar and dragged him off. Now that the battle was over, she felt famished and the sight of a soft fluffy pillow would lead her into a temporary coma.

He knew she defied his orders of staying. Her punishment would come when she least expect it. He thought. He had ample time to be creative about it. There were also debts to be paid and promises to be fulfilled.

She would be an idiot if she forgot about his simple bet.

"Still. Don't you think it's too simple?" She squinted. Kamui was ripped from his thoughts.

"You killed the Admiral, and the elders, without thinking twice announced that you would take over the Harusame as an extension of their limbs. I don't know if it offends you. I'm sorry if it does, but it feels to me like they're using you as a means to an end." Chiaki closed the first aid kit, ready to dash off at any hint of malice. Takasugi too, she thought. There was no reason for him to team up with a wildcard. She didn't mention him. She already felt ashamed of her lack of trust to Kamui.

"It doesn't matter." He propped his leg up a table and closed his eyes. "No matter how you look at it, we use each other for our own purposes. Abuto has resignation letters crammed under his desk; he would have called it quits a long time ago, if not for the pay." He paused. "I keep him because he's able to handle… delicate matters better than I am."

Before Chiaki could stop herself, she opened her mouth.

"Why do you keep me then?" She asked. "I can't fight. You guys heal like crazy, I'm practically shooed of when I try to help them, and yet you went asked for me to stay…" Chiaki swallowed, her fingers felt stiff, maybe it was fatigue settling in.

"Where do I fit in?"

He scrunched his eyebrows in thought. She was right. Weaklings always disgusted him, was it because of her personality? Was it because he could stand her? He had killed people with half the things she'd said to him and yet the mere thought of impaling her with his umbrella irked him. She had stuck long enough for him to develop a bond with her. Something as a friend maybe? Like Abuto, who counsels him and teaches him until he developed actual morals, twisted they may be.

A companion?

A comrade?

A … dog?

"You're my… friend." He said finally, before he could think of other disturbing thoughts. It didn't feel right, but it was the only thing he could say at the moment.

_"Yes!"_ Chiaki pumped her fist in the air. It only took her less than a year for him to finally acknowledge her as a compadre. She grinned and approached him for a hug before she stopped herself on her tracks. She didn't hug him before, and she wouldn't hug him out of joy now. She just couldn't imagine wrapping her arms around the pillar death and surviving. There were people you can hug and trade hair braiding secrets with, and there was Kamui.

She must have been taking too long celebrating in her head, because before she knew it, Abuto, Aiko and a number of other grunts stepped inside the room.

"Chiaki, sorry to break it to you, but a section of our mother ship has been reduced to smithereens." Aiko muttered.

"What?" Chiaki's eyes widened.

"You see, your clinic… it's got hit by a stray laser and it's now a gaping hole of nothingness."

She whimpered. All her _stuff_.

"It's okay though!" Aiko's ass bounced to the side. "I got you a way nicer one in the base, since our Captain is now the Admiral _ahehehehhe. _Come, leave the men to their business…" She reluctantly held the arm of a tittering Aiko as he led her to the sleeping quarters. Chiaki tried to look back as she walking; Kamui was blocked by Abuto's all-encompassing cloak that went around his body like a dark tube.

She had so many things to say to him. But there was always next time.

"Chiaki." Aiko and the nurse stopped walking. Abuto moved to the side, their eyes met and Kamui leered.

Chiaki felt her heart stop.

"Don't forget about our _agreement._" His face was innocent. Chiaki was going to ask him when her throat tightened. She suddenly felt conscious of her chapped lips.

"Chiaki, your face is red…" Aiko raised his penciled eyebrows. He touched it her cheek and he found it alarmingly hot. She was making choking sounds that didn't answer any of the questions the other Yato had in their heads. "Admiral! What did you do?" Aiko asked with a high-pitched voice.

"Let's go." The nurse tugged Aiko's cloak weakly. She would hide from Kamui starting that day. There was no reason for her to be around. She practically sprinted out of the hall, away from piercing blue eyes and confused dark ones.

When Abuto was sure that the okama and the nurse were out of hearing range. He cracked a large smile and snickered.

"A friend, huh? That's real smooth Admiral. _Real smooth_"

Abuto didn't get a lot of injuries in the raid to save Kamui, but if anyone asked him why his face looked way too bruised, he'd say he got it from a psycho alien.

* * *

"S-sir. Thank you." The late Admiral's son had been crying. His cheeks were water stained, eyes in large puffs that made it difficult for him to see. Kawakami Bansai resisted the boy's want for physical contact. There will be no hugging, no shaking of hands… The last thing he wanted was for the lad to start crying again. It would give way to his position.

When Kamui killed the Admiral, it only took hours before others went to search for his son. No doubt to harm him. Pirates were like that.

They were well in the bottom of the base, where few pirates gathered. There was a young lady beside the lad and a young man that was loyal to him. The lad had a bulging pouch of valuables strapped on his body. All other possessions were unneeded. Bansai told the young man the location of the planet they were going to be sent off to. It was a tiny lump of rock in the mass of space, with a small population. But nobody would recognize them. The Admiral's son would escape, unharmed.

"Thank you." The boy repeated, and Bansai's patience ran thin.

"Don't thank me, I was following orders."

While he respected Takasugi, he sometimes didn't understand why a man so bent on destroying his own country would do something as trivial as this. It didn't matter, he thought with a smirk. He heard himself sigh and he reached out and ruffled the boy's mop of hair.

The real fun just began.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

With thick latex gloves, Chiaki shoved a pair of fermenting socks inside a trash bag and hurriedly flung the dark plastic out of the room. Kamui's sleeping quarter looked and smelled horrible, dead roaches were under the bed, prehistoric bags of junk food littered the floor and there were suspicious red stains in the carpet and the ceiling that made her feel queasy. She briefly wondered if the tiny column shaped ivory pieces on his bed table were actually finger bones of some poor motherfucker.

Abuto emerged from the tiled comfort room that had tendrils of white smoke coming out from.

"When was it our responsibility to clean out his room?" Chiaki asked, noting the bulging sack of garbage he was hauling.

"It had always been my responsibility, and now it's yours as well. But you have to start with the simple stuff, like changing his sheets." Which looked more like rags than real bedsheets, the only tidy part of his room was his cabinet, filled to the brim with new Admiral Coats tailored to fit his majestic body. "What's so bad with the bins?" She asked. Then she saw his face, it was his, 'I bet dying and going straight to hell is better than this shit life' look magnified to epic proportions. Showing more wisdom than courage she voted that it was better not asking.

"If you're worried about his health, don't be." Abuto assured her. Because living in that dump would give an average man a list of diseases.

"Ughhhh.."

"He does it on purpose, the room is usually squeaky clean, he just times it when I have cleaning duty and dumps an entire garbage truck in here." He grunted and haphazardly sprays a terrifying amount of air freshener, because Kamui was rotten.

"Uhuh. I totally believe you, sir."

"Why are you calling me sir? I promise it to you it's a100% Trustworthy Abuto Promise." Then he vomited all over the floor because the lemon scented freshener wasn't strong enough and the fermenting socks got to him.

Apparently, she found it hilarious and began laughing.

"Why didn't mama teach the fucking Captain to sweep his own damn room." He would have stolen the Admiral's hair elastics and flush them down the sink, but he felt lazy and the elastics were most likely hidden under a jar of testicles for defensive purposes. "I'm not the type of employee who's looking for praises, but this is too much." Abuto pinched the bridge of his nose and cringed when he took a whiff of his own nasty breath. He had a non-work related meeting that evening with a freckled face beauty who worked in Accounting. He cannot ruin it with vomit breath.

Chiaki smiled. "Unappreciated till the end huh." She paused. "It's okay, sometimes it feels like the boss doesn't know what's good for him and if he does know what's good for him, he hates it, allows it to walk away."

"All the way to doing paperwork and cleaning his room with his vice-captain" He grunted.

"Ye- what… I" She paused.

It took her ten second of thinking before she understood his implication. She squinted at the taller man. "I thought you didn't approve of me liking him." He was always so obscure with his words. He was like Gandalf.

"I'm not his parent. I don't have the right to state my opinions about who likes who." He snorted and began picking his nose.

"Stop trying to dodge the question."

He seemed to think deeply.

"Do you want the truth?" His eyes gleamed, but nobody noticed, because if anyone was there, they would have marveled at his nose picking techniques.

She nodded hastily.

"I don't– " He said not unkindly. Then as a letdown, "Never mind, you have to figure it out on your own. I'm just an old man who loves to harangue about things that shouldn't bother me."

"Please enlighten me." She would have ignored it and pretended the conversation didn't exist, but her curiosity got the better of her. She spent the next five minutes needling him for legit answers.

"You and us, we are an entirely different species-"

"Abuto-san, I'm sorry for interrupting, but I've seen you with other species before, you dangle yourself in front of them. Please be honest with me."Chiaki could remember him flaunting his ass on a group of purple women who had long yellow hair and giant chests. She stared at him hard with enough intensity to make him feel uncomfortable, almost guilty. Abuto was a simple man with enough morals to make him seem human compared to the otherYato. He didn't like to hurt friends. He would like it better if he had _real_ friends and not spend the most of his time worrying his youth off some fighting genius he liked to call his boss. He breathed in and swallowed the weight that built on his throat.

"Let us say that Kamui accepts and protects you. One day you will be old as fuck and you will smell like dirt and you won't be able to hold your piss. What do you think he'll do to you?" He paused then tried to gauge her reaction. When he failed, he thanked the gods and continued.

"He'll throw you away like what he does to all the nice things the stumbles upon by accident. Kamui isn't meant to hold pretty things, Chiaki, he destroys them." He sounded distant.

She swallowed, feeling stupid.

"I'm not your best friend, but I don't like seeing potential wasted on someone who won't even care enough to use them." He said honestly.

"He'll throw you away when you get old and useless too." She pointed out, rather rudely in his opinion. He didn't need to remember that aching fact. He didn't need someone to remind him of it. The knowledge of it would, until he stopped being the vice-captain, hide under his shadow like the whisper quiet of a blade pressed against his back.

He yawned loudly, perhaps to dispel his thoughts. "I'm already old and useless, besides, it's not going to happen until another hundred years. If I still live to see my retirement."

Chiaki had foolishly forgotten that humans lived half the lifespan of her Admiral's kind. She would see wrinkles while his face stayed the same. Her hips would hurt and he would be still destroying armies with the swing of his umbrella.

"… but if it happens… are you ready? If he deems you useless and leaves you bleeding on the alleyway, can you handle it?" Chiaki asked. Her eyes hurt. She felt like there was nothing to be done.

"It will break this old man's heart." Abuto smiled wryly.

"But you will remember all the good things right?" She asked.

"What good things?"

They shared a laugh.

Then from the corner of her stinging eyes –look at all that dust– Chiaki saw an expensive picture frame, sitting rather lonely on a desk beside his bed. It was turned down. Her attention was caught and she slowly lifted up the item. It was her gift! She thought as her heart was replaced with a rather energetic butterfly. The picture was slightly angled to the left, her smile impossibly wide, unnecessary Huntmas decorations around her, with Aiko and Abuto on her sides.

She never remembered looking so happy in any of her other pictures.

* * *

The Admiral looked for her the next day.

She was in one of those dirty hospital rooms people see in televisions when all the good shows have run out. The ones with the yellowed bed sheets and dim sunlight streaming from the frozen windows, with scratchy wallpapers, ones that shouldn't exist in the first place because it's unsanitary, but movie directors seem to think it's a nice effect. There were slight differences; the window was high-tech with radiation light from stars billions of miles away.

There was an injured man lying in the bed. Chiaki was sitting in a small stool in a respectable distance.

He was dying, not because the nurse couldn't do anything, because he refused aid. In the end, when the infection caught up, his body ravaged by a fever. She dragged him to the bed and tried to help him again.

"If you want to help me." He said. His voice was nothing more but a scathing whisper. "I want to talk to the Cap- the Admiral."

With all the effort he could do, he muttered. "Bring him to me."

Kamui, she thought was brilliant and in the same time, seamlessly insane. She respected him for that. They were the traits that made her look at him and think of him as a _genius_, as a leader, as someone worth following because he made her feel like she was worth something. That she was not merely a girl from the city. They were the reasons why she didn't curse at him for tearing the life out of those countless men. She had loved his capacity and abhorred his ability to do the exact opposite of sympathy when his followers needed it.

Her throat felt dry as she was about to refuse her unwilling patient's wish, possibly his last. It would be lucky if she could find the Admiral, and even if she did. It was unlikely that he would want to visit a dying soldier. He would look at her as if she was crazy and laugh her off.

"I…" She felt bad for the man. "I'll look for him."

_Damn it_.

"You don't have to." Kamui looked suspiciously calm. He leaned on the doorway with his flawless coat and flawless smile. Chiaki could do nothing but raise the both of her eyebrows. He surprised her.

"Admiral…" She said, standing up. He leaned to her direction and nodded.

The magic shattered when the man on the bed wheezed.

He walked to her then silently placed a hand on the small of her back, light enough to make her jump. He pushed her slowly to the side, almost painfully gently that her stomach did a somersault and her heart stopped. "Wait for me outside." He whispered to her ear. Then before she knew it, the door shut behind her, the shockingly bright light of the hallway fried her retinas and she stood outside in shock, blushing like she was fourteen.

_Jesus Christ_

Chiaki was halfway in planning how to murder herself and get a proper funeral when the door opened.

Kamui had made exceptional effort in keeping the noise down.

One glance at the thick, warm blood in his arms and she knew without hearing what happened inside the room. The silence after was broken by her scoffing.

"You killed him." It wasn't in shock, no, more of a statement given by someone who had expected it in the first place.

"It was what he wanted." Kamui answered with a smile. "But was it all necessary?" She asked, gesturing to his bloody hands. "It looks like you dipped your hands in paint." It seemed to startle him and it brought out an unpracticed laugh. He lifted his right hand to pat her in the head. To his dismay, she hopped out of range.

Chiaki unfurled a light green towel from a bag he hadn't seen before and handed it to him.

He decided to act like a prat, which was rewarded by her giving him a sigh and impatiently wiping of the blood from his fingers on her own.

"Why are you here?" She said while wiping the blood between his phalanges. Because that kind of perfect timing didn't happen in life, he had to have some ulterior motive.

"Hmm. Can it be that I just wanted to see you?" She stared at him. Kamui thought she barely blinked. He was grinning.

_Don't say that_.

"Bullshit." She said and he raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?" He inquired, smiling like an eight year old who found something foul to play with. He walked to her right and lightly gripped the edge of her elbow, subtly guiding her to whichever place he wanted to bring her.

"No, wait, I can't go with you." _Yet. _She said quickly, eyes wide with surprise. When he gave her a questioning look she slowly eased her arm from his hand, trying not to displease him further. "I mean." She started. "I want to go with you, wherever you want to drag me to, but I still need to check up on about thirty patients before I can rest, and I have only a few hours to finish… and there's paperwork as well…" She tried to smile at him. She would be more than happy to spend time with him, but she would not give him permission to suddenly drag her away after disappearing for two weeks – disappear in the Admiral's meeting room, with the Kiheitai most likely– while she and the others do his Admiral work for him.

She was being petty, but she was tired, and he deserved it.

There was a corpse she had to clean in the room as well.

"It's been weeks, I don't see any of my men limping around. Who exactly are you treating?" He asked.

"Kiheitai" was the answer.

"I hired you specifically for the seventh division." He replied.

"Admiral, there _is_ no seventh division now remember? You are the Admiral. The previous seventh division is now your private army in this base. Besides, you took the Kiheitai under your wing, so even if they weren't part of the seventh division, they're sort of your men now." She said. What would she be if she ignored responsibilities that were _right there_? She felt irritated. He wasn't the one who needed to stay constantly awake every damn time a bloodbath ended. He didn't need to open some stranger's shirt to clean cuts, wounds and bullet holes. The screams he heard would be sudden, swift as his rain gear cut down his foes, not loud ones filled with agony and names of families she didn't recognize.

He wouldn't understand anyway. It wasn't his job in the first place.

The Admiral hummed contentedly and swiped her elbow from the air once more, a little forcefully this time.

"You're still coming with me." He pressed on. When she refused, he pursed his lips and a large hand-made its way to the top of her head, to the soft pink hair that she rarely brushed.

Kamui's smile went wider, "I'm going to kill them if you don't" cocky, challenging.

He watched her go pale in three shades before she was reduced to a stuttering mess.

"N- No! You are not going to _kill_ anyone… No! Admiral! … Damn it!... Don't walk in there! I'll come! _I'll come with you!_"

"Too late" was the happy response and he opened the next door that led to three patients with pneumonia for sleeping outside their quarters while wasted on cheap gin.

Chiaki leaped and embraced his left arm _hard_ with all her strength, trying to prevent him from murdering innocents. "I don't like this game you're playing!" She said, because if he was being serious, he would have flung her corpse over the bannister to be used as food for the space rats that scratched the walls at night.

He was in a very good mood, which terrified most of those who knew him.

"Oh?" He said with a lilt that would have made any girl blush, except for Chiaki who was raging to save her patients. He casually ignored how her small frame was pressed against his arm. "But I'm dead serious." He laughed and moved a step towards the screaming, begging patients that extremely cornered themselves behind a creaky desk.

"Admiral!" She pleaded, and before she could do anything that she would regret –like telling him that she would do everything just to make him stop, which always ended up great– he stopped and glanced at her with those impossibly long lashes.

"You're calling me by the wrong name Chiaki." He said.

"… " She swallowed "god?" Testing the waters wasn't always a bad thing, but with Kamui…

She earned a flick on the forehead, which she thought would have a marvelous bruise later.

"Ultimate mafia boss, sir, Admiral, god of all gods…." She said, suddenly aware that she hasn't released his arm yet.

The second flick and she was sure the pain was on par with a kick on the man berries.

"My name." Kamui said impatiently. Admiral didn't have the same ring as her screaming 'Captain' all the time, and asking, _ordering_ her to call by hisprevious title would be a blow on his rep. Besides, he thought, she had earned it for tolerating everything as of late. She stared at him wide-eyed before backing away in small steps, eyebrows in the level of suspicious.

_"Kamui"_ She said, it was too dark to see what his reaction was.

"I've decided to spare your little sick humans." He announced, much to the relief of everyone in the room. She sneaked a glance at the pneumonias and sighed. The gossip would be out faster that Abuto's bathroom breaks.

"Thank god." She muttered.

"Now stop loitering Chiaki, we've got work to do." He said and dragged her off.

"You know that we're understaffed right?" She said after walking for fifteen minutes doing small talk, she suspected that he was leading her in circles. They were understaffed after the famous ordeal about the pirate power struggle. With an entire division of their army reduced into rubble after a stray laser went too lucky and hit the glowiest, shiniest part of a battle ship, she was so sure their numbers reduced to half. Abuto wept for days. He cried about the cost of purchasing another ship (expensive), hiring a new men (expensive) and the funds he'd misuse (expensive) to bribe good Uno players in joining piracy.

"Don't worry about those little things." He said with a raised eyebrow. She was a nurse, not the vice-captain whom he reminded himself to promote quickly before the man marched in his office and nagged about his lack of heart and feeling.

It was said in irritation. "Why you, I'll have you know that I've been doing your laundry because the poor man who was entrusted with the task was sliced in half!" She complained, shivering under the thought of his dirty underwear. 'You're a girl, you should do it' said a distraught soldier who would have lost the ability to bring forth descendants if she was feeling particularly angry that day, which she was not.

No wonder his clothes smelled nice. He thought, and said "you forgot to clean off a soup stain from my sock." Because he was as eloquent and polite as his mother had taught him to be. Those tedious lessons of good manners had obviously paid off splendidly.

"Always a paragon of virtue" the nurse choked out bitterly, but he caught a smile when he looked at her direction.

"Where are you taking me anyway, we've been walking in circles." She asked.

"Patience, nurse" he said.

"I've been patient for twenty minutes." She pursed her lips.

It got a faint grin out of him. "Hmm. Okay." He stopped walking. "What did you lose when the vice-captain went to battle with our ships?" he questioned, facing her.

The lights flickered behind him, almost ominously, but she didn't notice. "My clinic, my bed, blankets, all my medical paraphernalia, my _bed_, do you know that I've been sleeping in the cabinet in your office?" She guessed not, because the expression on his face was funny. It was surprisingly comfortable, maybe she's gotten used to sore muscles that the level of soreness her muscles could handle has morphed to exceeding levels of tolerance that she didn't feel anything at all.

"At my office" he repeated. "Where do you bathe?" he asked.

"Whoa, ease the personal questions there Admira- Kamui."

He was evil, she thought, definitely, because the man took a packet from his coat that resembled too much like coffee. She saw the cheap brand and knew that it was shit coffee but it was ambrosia for all she knew it. She made a move to snatch it from his deft fingers but he lifted it high that she wouldn't be able to catch it without jumping up and down like a lunatic. She was determined _not _to jump up and down like a lunatic.

"Oh, you're not going to fight for your coffee?" He asked. There was nothing particularly good about coffee, he thought. It was awfully bitter and it made him thirsty.

"We had an accord." She said seriously.

He seemed to think it through before his face broke into a Cheshire grin.

Several minutes later the nurse was on her tip toes forcing herself to grab the packet Kamui had held out of her reach. "This is unfair!" She pushed his smiling face to the side and almost snatched the coffee, if he wasn't so tall.

"That's it, I'm done." She huffed; face red with irritation, and not of other reasons.

"I've offended you." Kamui realized and stopped his antics. Then as quiet as a predator, he clutched her upper arm and held her near him before she could escape, which she wasn't planning on doing in the first place. Chiaki yelped and tried to swat his arm off, when he leaned in closer, close enough that she could feel his breath. "How can I make it up to you?" He asked, dangerously near her that she was afraid he could hear her heart execute a horriblesquishing flip. He bent to her direction, his hand on her chin with the promise of a fulfilled debt.

Chiaki panicked.

"Relax." He whispered leaning closer, face angling slightly to the side. He watched her gaze flicker, the light bouncing off her lashes, the breath caught in her throat before he stopped and made a sound of complete irritation. He dropped his hand and his eyes wandered to the Yato beaming behind her.

"Abuto." Kamui said blankly.

"Admiral." He greeted with the same blank tone, but there was a mad grin splitting his face.

"Sorry." The vice-captain nodded to Chiaki's direction. She nodded back and Kamui made a distracted frown.

"You have work to do, idiot, no time to fool around with the nurse." Abuto scratched his chin in thought, it was difficult for him to find Kamui. "Takasugi and his men are waiting for you in the meeting room." He grumbled. If Kamui was offended by Abuto calling him an idiot, he didn't show, but revenge always came. It _always _came.

Chiaki let go of his hand she didn't know she was holding –fingers sliding off each other, her nails scraping the ends of his coat. It took long to break contact and everyone noticed. "Well." She said, not knowing if she should feel disappointed or glad that the vice-captain intervened. She wasn't ready, she kept on telling herself, but the darker, more insane part of her could still feel the imprint of his hand in her palm. "Duty calls." She said softly. He stared at her long enough to make her feel uncomfortable before agreeing.

"Alright." He said to her relief, and because he was a five year old who carried weapons and led armies of pirates, "but you have to come with me."

* * *

The admiral's meeting room was large; the sort of fancy room that would make any nurse uncomfortable, red curtains, blinding yellow lights from chandeliers that would cost ten times the amount of all her organs in the underground economy and silver _chairs_ for fuck's sake. She almost considered running off when her companions were distracted, but she knew that she would either a) immediately be grabbed in the collar of her shirt and get dragged inside shamefully or b) actually escape and be tracked down, grabbed in the collar of her shirt and get dragged inside shamefully. She clutched her umbrella and walked in.

Kamui being the gentleman he was, managed to find a little red plastic school chair from nowhere and gestured her to sit, beside her was a taller lithe irritated woman with shiny dual guns, grumbling as she sat on a similar red nursery chair.

She watched the men do their job, and that was it.

"You women sit there while we men do planning okay?" Kamui's voice echoed and she wanted to slam the chair in his face. He didn't even have enough class to let them listen to their probably ridiculous plans. The only thing that kept her from snapping was the idea that their plans were utter shit and they kept the women in the dark because it was embarrassing.

"Sup." She looked up to a seething Kijima Matako.

"What?" Matako snapped, obviously raging about why the others deemed that she wasn't worthy of strategizing with the others while an obviously lower ranked Kiheitai –Takechi-hentai– was right there pretending he actually understood anything. She could totally see that Takechi-hentai wasabsentmindedly nodding and not paying attention. She should have murdered that lolicon down when he first laid his filthy eyes on her and said, 'I don't prefer mountains, I like bulldozed hills a lot better.'

She caught Chiaki's curious gaze and raised an eyebrow. "What brand of hair color do you use?" The nurse asked.

"It's so pretty." Chiaki smiled genuinely.

Years of living in a criminal organization where men outnumbered women had led the blonde to forget how great it was to talk to other women.

"Really?" Matako asked, suddenly conscious of her roots. "You think so?"

It was the start of a pleasant friendship, well, sort of.

Thirty minutes later in their conversation about the effectiveness of detergents in clearing out persistent blood stains of many sources, they were interrupted with an unamused clearing of throat. Abuto's arms were folded, a robotic finger annoyingly tapping at the seconds, eyebrows scrunched and lips curved to a disapproving frown. Chiaki knew that look anywhere, the one he always wore every time she was about to do a task that was beyond her rank, like doing her superior's paperwork, washing her superior's clothes or the occasional preventing a fight between soldiers by dangling herself as bait.

She expected him to hand her a smelly mop, to clean the funky smelling floor, distracting her from talking so _fast_ with a fellow woman.

He handed her a bleating goat with a nasty infection on the leg.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" She asked, gaping at the sudden turn of events. The others pretended not to notice.

He looked at both of the women sheepishly.

"The Elders are suspicious of Takasugi." Abuto whispered with a long-suffering look.

She wanted to say, _screw the Elders, _but she was beaten to it with a passionate, _'fuck the Elders, I'm going to rip them apart'_ by Matako. So instead she whispered back, "what am I going to do with this goat?"

"An elder is approaching from the outside." He pointed at an array of bulky CCTV monitors that shouldn't exist anymore, all in fuzzy black and white. She narrowed her eyes at a monitor and saw a seething Elder marching towards them.

"Oh." She said flatly. "Well, what are you going to do?" She asked.

He smiled evilly.

"He probably won't remember you." Chiaki said, ignoring Matako's complaints in favor of stroking the goat's smooth head. She was careful to avoid the horns and the leg wound.

"I will _kill_ that bastard." Matako seethed, her hands instinctively went to the guns on her sides. The nurse sighted, Abuto was almost impossible to kill; he was like the king of the roaches. She swallowed the upcoming argument rising from her throat and forced out a slightly impatient smile. Chiaki could hear the steps of the Elder approaching them. They were outside the room, forced by their superiors to be useful to their standards and distract the Elder long enough until their meeting was over or drive the Elder away by whatever cruelty they could think of without being over the top like murdering him instead of shaming themselves and hide his body in one of the less suspicious floorboards in the ship.

"You're doing this for Takasugi-san." Saying Takasugi-sama would be pretentious, because she has no idea what was wrong with him in the head.

"You're right!" Matako suddenly looked enthusiastic and Chiaki suddenly felt miserable.

_Jesus Christ_

"Let me pass." The Elder demanded when he reached the two ladies. He eyed the goat suspiciously, old and wrinkly, pointy ears instead of regular ears, beard and a sack of colorful badges pinned to his chest as a reminder of how war efficient he was in his years. He had a large gun strapped to his back. He knew he was in charge, he also knew that Kamui and Takasugi were in the meeting room.

"This is the ladies' room… Er. We're guarding it." Chiaki quickly said, blocking the door sign that said Admiral's Meeting Room. She wouldn't haveMatako say anything about how frustratingly awesome and handsome Takasugi is before launching a gunfight.

"Preposterous! Let me pass at once!" He demanded and there it was, the up and down look Chiaki was waiting for, her cheap clothes, her dirty fingernails, the snort that came after he saw her light pink hair, all the things that may or may not contributed to who she was. "If you don't I'll– "

_"We're selling this goat for charity!"_ Matako tried to help, which was in its form entirely absurd.

"I don't want to buy your goat!" The Elder barked, nobody winced and they shared a smile.

"But sir!" Chiaki grinned; it was funny because pirates and renegades wouldn't give a flying fuck about charity. "This goat is unlike any goat at all, it's of an élite, _royal_, bloodline, one that is known to produce its own cheese."

As if on cue, the goat licked the freshly forming pus on its leg.

The Elder vomited.

* * *

It took Chiaki three cups of coffee to forget about the fiasco about the Goat –which was bought by the Elder– when Kamui bursts into his office and slams the cabinet door open revealing her in her pajamas, screaming in surprise because it was three am and she shouldn't have told him where she slept because this was bound to happen if she did. "This is harassment" she screamed to him when he stole and drank the entire contents of her coffee cup.

"This is my office." He said smugly, where her only reply was to yell into a pile of pillows.

"If you're here because of some shit reason, I'm going to burn your braid." She threatened with the backing of her sleepiness and pure _rage_. Which excited him, she could see it plainly. His reply was to switch on the lights which toasted her eyeballs. She would have started shooting if he wasn't happy.

"My reason is not shit" he said calming down, a little relaxed in his own dizzying amusement. Then he ruffled her hair and grinned. "We're going out."

When she found out that the meeting a day earlier was about Takasugi and Kamui talking about laying waste to her country, burning it to the ground by overrunning the government and killing the shogun, and 'going out' meant a trip that ranged from a week to a month to gather some Yato renegades in a far of planet –with man eating plants as their natural fauna– as a replacement to their dead comrades from last time's shenanigans, she called bullshit and voted that she be left to sleep while they leave.

"We're not arriving there _today_. I'm just forcing you to come with me to the ship right now." He tipped his head to one side.

"You don't need medics there!" She answered furiously.

"But you're not just a medic now are you?" He said, carding his fingers through her sticky hair, making her feel like a pet. Kamui looked at her with eyes like the blue of the sea and informed her, "You have a talent for ruthless efficiency hiding under you" it was said in a way that made her feel like it was an actual compliment and not something he made up to persuade her.

He blinked when he saw her face flush red.

"Are you sick?" He asked innocently.

"_Christ._ Wait outside, I'm going to change" She pushed him away softly. "Do I need clothes for a week?" She asked smiling.

"Only what you can carry." He said, pretending not to be distracted by her smile.

_Dear Chiaki:_

_Prince Hata and I are getting married. You are not invited, I'll send pictures though._

_You should get married too._

_Tell Kamui-kun congratulations on his 'promotion.'_

_XOXO_

Princess Yukiko

The letter was burned immediately.

Kamui led Chiaki outside a massive battleship, its engines roaring and humming energy to the turbines, whipping her hair painfully across her face while the Admiral stood elegantly. She sputtered and coughed as the hot wind blew on her face and she swore she swallowed something disgusting. The nurse looked up at Kamui and he_ still_ stood elegantly.

"Is Takasugi coming?" She asked in the billowing wind. Takasugi meant that Matako was coming, saving her from the sausage factory. She resisted the urge to grab on to Kamui's torso. The wind was blowing her away.

"No, he isn't. He has other things to do." Kamui replied, the front entrance opened when he walked close enough and she silently thanked him because her hair was in an afro of tangles.

"Do the Elders know about this?"

The smile that came after said that they didn't, that he wasn't doing what they wanted. Somewhere in the madness of it all, a voice inside her chanted continuously that something horrible was going to happen soon. She trusted Kamui, but she didn't trust his consistent ability to lead them into trouble.

"Stop asking stupid questions." He pushed her gently, too gently, she thought to the left. He would nudge her to the direction he wanted to go, through the maze of halls and polite crew that was too happy to have left the base. She considered the idea that he was being delicate on purpose, that he was conscious of his actions to her. It made her heart and all her guts feel uneasy.

Chiaki briefly wondered if he knew what he was doing, she wondered if she was the only one worrying too much about him, about his decisions about his _actions._ She thought about the whole of it, how he was ruthless about everything, how he mocked her when they were trapped in the desert cave. How his hands felt when he held hers tightly without noticing. She groaned when she realized that she was over thinking things.

In the end, he would bring the world into flames, and she was going down with it.

"You want to sleep." He murmured, and she pretended she needed to. Chiaki nodded. He seemed to brighten up.

Kamui led her to the office in the ship, a smaller one, with a large window, a tiny table for Abuto with Abuto sitting open-mouthed and shocked in it.

He began pointing at Chiaki while eliciting a long-suffering groan that meant he already discussed not bringing her because it was dangerous to the Admiral, and he didn't listen.

"Sup." Chiaki greeted Abuto and he hit his head in his desk multiple times.

Kamui opened the cabinet behind his table and she observed that the space was just enough for her to crawl into and nap.

She beamed at him. Half happy that she was going to sleep somewhere other than the kitchens and half horrified that it had already been established that she slept in cabinets and not actual beds. She slept in the sound of a hushed argument between Abuto and Kamui, the latter making things difficult for the former by being brilliant in wordplay and a giant dick in the same time. Thankfully, those were the only arguments they had, stupidly minor things, like who misplaced the umbrella rack or whether hair loss was paternal.

She woke up when things began to turn ugly.

"How was your date with the Accounting lady?" The Admiral asked.

"We had an agreement not to talk about this!"

"She left you for a better man huh?"

"That hurts! Admiral! You don't know anything about me!"

"I think you're a nice catch, and she's an idiot for not realizing that." Chiaki interrupted. Kamui and Abuto narrowed their eyes in unison that she immediately felt bad for the both of them. The vice-captain made a slightly hysterical sound before shaking his head. "I need a drink." He said and dashed off to the nearest alcohol stash in the kitchens.

Kamui decided to be a prick. Chiaki didn't mind. The Admiral was a large thorn to everyone's side; nobody necessarily liked him as a person. She observed though, that he would sometimes slip into moments of fine breeding and astounding cleverness when he forgot that he was supposed to act like a blood thirsty pirate.

He forced her to cook, when she playfully refused, he made a point by pointing the barrel end of his umbrella up her forehead.

"You simply needed to ask _nicely._" She said with her hands in the air.

"It's not your job to lecture me about me about values, _Chiaki._" He cocked an eyebrow warningly and she shrugged. Since when did she begin smiling when his parasol was pointed at her, ready to kill? She had no idea and judging by the look in his eyes, he didn't know either. Kamui marched to the kitchens and made a space for her. She heard the silent complaints of a tipsy vice-captain and felt the eye bulging fear the chefs felt when he arrived.

He wanted dumplings, the same soggy little things she made at his house and she told him it would take her more than an hour. She said he would be busy, and he needed to stand outside looking all Admiral-like and not sitting, watching her make them from scratch. Abuto approved from behind him and she saw him sulk.

"I'm going to deliver them in your office after an hour and thirty." She smiled politely and there it was again, the keen study of his gaze, the way his azure eyes felt heavy on her. It unnerved her.

"Yes." He agreed. A flicker of his eyes, another long-lost look on her flushed face and he was off, leaving a thin sheet of warm over her skin.

It was uncomfortable.

"Mhmmm." Abuto said from the side, his thumbs high in the air, sending a slightly inebriated wink to her direction.


	16. Chapter 16

TErA-1740a Nexus was a mosquito bombed swamp planet with columns of man eating trees that grew eyes in the night. The massive ball of earth boasted a grand array of overgrown shrubs, lust green vegetation that grew in turrets reaching far into the light emitting planetary bodies that revolved around it and a three headed lizards that shit everywhere. Among other things, the planet had excellent warriors fighting a civil war with each other far in its forests for territorial and governing reasons, with this information, the Admiral of the Harusame, Kamui, figured that it would be a best to throw himself in the middle of it, because he was a tosser.

To say that Chiaki didn't feel any foreboding sense of dread was an understatement.

Plans like these always ended up with her losing six inches of her hair, a good shred of dignity and a limb or two. Forget about the tosser's men, they _never_ lose. Death meant moving to greater pastures with a flashy vermillion splash and winning meant moving to greater pastures with a flashy vermillion splash.

Interact with the locals. Abuto said. It was the best way to create ground for persuading, and thus they were in a large open air market in a cloudy afternoon.

"I still don't understand why we just didn't go _back to our home planet _and fucking replenished troops right there!" She recognized him from the mistletoe incident. The warrior was as large as an ox, with a dark braid and half shaven head, wielding a sharp battle axe in lieu of a parasol. He also exaggerated when he spoke, but she agreed wholeheartedly.

"See! Even missy agrees!" He gripped his axe tightly.

He was rewarded with a kick in the face by the Admiral.

"Our shit planet is too far, _stupid_" said another Yato, whose name was Kageri. He stood a little crooked.

"Yes, yes. You are both stupid." Abuto mentioned from behind them, feeling less than a vice-captain and more of a babysitter. The two Yato stiffened and resorted to muttering among themselves. Treading into danger was one thing, but defying the esteemed vice-captain was another. Rumors had it that he would clog the toilets of those who deem him a nagger with balls of mysterious curly short hair.

"Abuto." Kamui stopped walking and looked back at the stoic vice-captain with a slightly calculating look. "Bring the both of them and gather supplies we need, meet me at the gates at the first light of morning tomorrow."

The vice-captain raised a neat eyebrow. "And what are you going to do while I'm gone?"

"None of your business." He quipped.

"Gah, just don't do anything reckless." Abuto frowned.

"I have Chiaki with me, don't worry."

"Eh? She will?" Kageri asked, mouth slightly opened before she could say the same thing. "So the rumors _are _true!" He laughed and found his arm patting the nurse in the back. _Oh, no _Chiaki thought, readjusting her messenger bag, feeling a blush run down her cheeks, down to her neck, spreading to her chest like strange warmth. The entirety of it was foreign for her, and for her companions as well. So she forced herself to ignore their shared looks of amusement.

"_Pleasedon'tsayanythingabouttherumors_." She said and Kamui was delighted.

"As you wish." Kageri smiled and high-fived the mistletoe man with the energy of an ecstatic.

The sky wasn't at all beautifully blue, but that's the weather. Honestly, Chiaki didn't notice the thick dark rain clouds until thunder ripped through and the air smelt damp. There was fog too, thicker than when they arrived and she couldn't see very far if she tried to peek through stalls and stalls of merchandise. The only reason she didn't feel unsettled by the coming rain was that nobody seemed to mind.

The market sold all kinds of wonders, from ridiculously sewed dresses to food that made you feel like all tables were reversed in the first place and you were food instead of them. Of course, it didn't deter the Admiral's shocking appetite.

There were many children too, dirty little urchins that sold buttons, strings and bouquets of unfamiliar flowers that smelled of perfume.

Chiaki minced around eight girls cooing at the array of expensive hairpins. "Admiral, you're walking too fast!" She dodged a tall man with a crate of purple melons and jumped over a tiny poppy cart with flexibility that could only be learned by continuously running from the police, unrelenting debt collectors and umbrella wielding pirates.

"You're just too slow." He said with a mouthful of stuffed "squid", he had three others wrapped around his arm. She frowned at the stains in his sleeves.

He bent slightly to the side, eyes wide and blue like cornflowers in the sun, faced a young boy –wearing tweed coat with equally blue hair, freckles – and looked down at the makeshift box he was holding. There was an assortment of sweet smelling lilies, daffodils and tiny crimson roses that caught the light in a delightful way. Thunder struck a faraway tree and the nurse stiffened.

"Sir, you wanna buy a flower for the pretty lady?" He asked, fully memorized from his sister who wheezed and coughed while she bought them from the harbor.

"Flowers from Earth?" The Admiral eyed the boy's filthy hand distastefully, where he held the angular end of Kamui's coat.

"Yes!" The boy said honestly and Chiaki could only let out a cry of fear when she saw Kamui lift up his hand and pierce the lad between his eyes. Except, the blow didn't come and he turned to her with a handful of bright yellow daffodils tied the base with a cotton string. She stood there dumbfounded, eyes slightly stinging from shock. Behind Kamui, the boy tossed a silver coin –far more than what the bouquet was worth– and disappeared in the black and white crowd.

There was disappointment in his eyes and amusement as well, slowly, he opened her palm and she whispered at how smooth the petals were.

"You thought I would kill him." He said and he looked a bird settling his feathers.

"Yes." She said in a sigh. She hadn't trusted, or known him enough, she thought. The flowers smelled amazing.

"You understand that I cannot change for you." Kamui said with a sad smile and the world around them shifted into a blur of many colors. "I cannot imagine myself be someone other than this." He admitted and she nodded numbly. He wasn't particularly evil, she thought. He didn't kill innocents on a whim. He wasn't Takasugi and inside, she knew that he would never be like the one eyed psyclops even how much his minions think of them as alike.

But an inner voice laughed at her. Said that she was twisted as well, said that he would burn her and countries to the ground if it cost something that would amuse him.

She knew that already.

"Do you mind at all?" He asked and doubts fell out of her mind like the raindrops around them. The daffodils' stems were crushed.

"That's stupid." She replied dryly, she seemed unfazed by the whole thing. "It's like me asking if you mind that I have pink hair, or that I snore sometimes when I sleep –don't give me that look I know you snuck in and stared at me yesterday evening while I slept." He chuckled and she jabbed the flowers at his face for not having the gall to at least be embarrassed by it.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He whispered, eyes sparking with mischief in that air of superiority with the braid on his shoulder. "Right, because your coat being there, half a dozen dirty plates, hair elastics and leaving the closet door half opened is a sure guarantee that it was the vice-captain and he did all that to sabotage your pristine reputation." She was answered by him_ accidentally_ elbowing her ribs.

"Very smart." She pinched him in return, but he didn't feel anything. "_You_ didn't answer my question though." His lips twisted up to an unpracticed smile. _This_ she thought, _is only mine._ Not the stupid grin he gave to everyone when he managed to piss them all off, it was honest.

"I know you won't. But I'm still here right?" She smiled back and the cold rain spat down to them.

She managed to buy him biscuits –because he was always hungry– and a stupid looking keychain that cost her fifty units. It was a smooth piece of rock roughly shaped like a goose, pink, with a hole in the middle where its wing should be. She eyed it and jokingly asked if he wanted it when he slightly recoiled at its ugliness.

"What would I use it for?" He wasn't using his umbrella properly. It was tucked under his arm, _catching _rainwater.

"You could attach it with the sausage-manberry keychain I bargained with last time."

"Hm. You want me to remember you when I fight?"

"An interesting query, but no, it will be a reminder that whatever you do, you'll still be uglier than that bird –Ow! I'm just joking!"

She bought it under his command.

"Should I buy you something as well?" The rain was streaming down them in buckets; her feet felt like ice, her stomach felt uncomfortable in the cold. She inserted her arms inside the warmer pockets of her drenched coat and shivered miserably. Kamui was unflappable. He would have given his coat, but it smelled like sour milk and ancient vehicle carpets. She looked up at him. She didn't feel like wanting anything at all save for the comfort of her bed… closet and maybe a bath.

"It has to be something worthless." She muttered and sneezed.

The rain was soaking through her bones.

"How about we head back to the ship first?" He asked.

"Hell yes"

* * *

Abuto was drunk on his ass. He was sitting on the bar under the light of a cheap seedy bar strategically named 'Hot Legs' downtown with a number of his fellow workers. On his right sat Kageri, the Yato directly under him whose hair was in a dull shade of orange. On his rights at the mistletoe man from earlier, whose name he didn't know yet.

"Wah-What's yer name again, bub?" Abuto sipped what passed for ale.

There was a stage in the bar, one made of wood and maybe melon crates, but he was too far to inspect it. On the stage sang a muscular man in five inch heels, a golden smile and sticker stars on his chest to hide certain protrusions that didn't appeal to him. He caroled:

_"Hot hot legs, touch these sizzling pieces of flesh"_

_"You can't handle the heat, of the BEAT of my leeeeggsssss."_

The man from Huntmas, with the large axe muttered under his breath. As if he was ashamed of something.

"What?" Kageri asked.

"Just call me bub." The man ignored the prodding of Kageri and focused on the vice-captain.

"Nay, bub is a shit name. Out of respect I shall call you with your first name."

"No, sir, _please_, just call me **bub.**"

"Just say it!"

"My name's Fridgeotto Jr." Fridgeotto said looking abashed.

"What a fuck kinda name izzat?" Because Abuto was drunk.

"My father was a foreigner alright!" His fist hit the shabby wooden table and Abuto's lukewarm ale flew and hit his face.

Abuto thought the name was splendid, so he didn't delve further on the matter.

"Fridgeotto calm down." Abuto whacked Kageri with an umbrella.

"I am Abuto." Abuto looked to his sides, drunk. "And thus listen to me. The reason I called for you all." He gestured diplomatically to the pirates around him. "Is because I trust of all you, and I am about to share ye a secret worth sharing." He whispered dramatically and the others crooned and slapped themselves on the back because gaining the trust of Abuto, the ultimate vice-captain was like being hired by the famous rogue Oh-sama BeanLarden for a cooking trip around the galaxies.

Ignorant fools will be amused, but the fillet techniques of BeanLarden was unparalleled.

"Now." He said in the most commanding voice he could muster. "We shall talk about the blooming romance of our insane Admiral and the human object thing."

"Ridiculous!" Fridgeotto hollered. "I shall not stand here and allow you of all people plot behind the Admiral's back, and what is this romance you speak of?" His fingers shot and stabbed through the nostrils of Abuto, forcing the vice-captain to topple back into his seat, which was immediately regretted afterwards by poor Fridgeotto.

"This is for the good of the Admiral!" Abuto snapped, pulling the invasive phalanges off his nares. "And how can you not know about their blooming romance!" He hit the fool in the head with his umbrella. The whole room burst in a wild cacophony of unorganized gossips.

"Are we expecting a child?" One of the Yato asked curiously.

"Oh, _oh _I'm really good with my hands, I can build a crib!" Another piped in, excited.

"My wife can sew those little pillows she would give me when I leave the planet."

"Aye, that be good. I wonder what the name would be?" The largest of them rubbed his curly black beard.

"Fridgeotto sounds good." Fridgeotto said from afar.

"AYE."

"Aye."

"Arrr."

"Shut the fuck up you wankers!" Abuto yelled and the majority of the Yato braced themselves for a verbal lashing. Fortunately for their ears, Abuto didn't.

"Who among you idiots have noticed the displeasure of the Elders to our Admiral since he got promoted?" Abuto asked seriously, but not before ordering another round of ale and maybe a girl or two.

Silence hung among the group before it was broken with a wave of raised hands.

"What do you think will happen if the lower ranking members take notice?" He drank a mug empty and the others fell into hushed murmurs.

"They'll start complaining at will be paperwork for you won't it?" Kageri said from his seat, reading the vice-captain like an open book. "Selfish bastard." He added in the end.

"Yes, I mean _no_. There will be _chaos, anarchy!_" The others panicked and a few looked at him in horror after such an enlightening declaration.

"What should we do now, vice-captain?" Fridgeotto looked at him hopefully.

Abuto leaned forward and spoke in a conspiring tone, words sharp like knives. The others shifted closer to him as well. "We give the masses something to _bite _on, a distraction, something to root for. Tis but a simple way to end the slowly growing crisis, let the story of their _love_ travel in divisions to divisions, to bases, to ships, planets, let everyone know, let their focus be watered! Aye?"

The others howled their approval in the manner of meaty sounding Ayes as well.

"Sir, how bout' the safety of the missy, she might be in danger if we does it." A shy little Yato, by the age of fifteen asked from his seat, with his cap tucked between his hands.

"Don't worry lad. The Admiral won't let that happen."

The singer in the stage crooned:

_"And with the gluteus maximus, the gastrocnemius down to the metatarsals, the silk, soft, smooootthhhhhhh leeeeggsssssssss."_

* * *

Chiaki sank deeper into the lukewarm bath, bracing for the sickness that was yet to come. She scoffed, fooling around in the rain was not a sound idea, but it was fun nonetheless. She had scrubbed herself clean and reluctantly got off when the water felt uncomfortably chilly. The new warship they used was bigger, cleaner and had better water pressure. The only qualm she had was nobody bothered to give her a room, so she slept in closets and out of a colleague's pity, she could bathe if she felt really filthy –Aiko had real _soap_.

The nurse grimaced at the state of her hair, ends drier and duller from the healthier ones at the top.

She changed into her standard nurse uniform and toweled her hair dry. When she was done, she ambled to the office with dinner balanced on one hand, and more dinner on the other hand. The one thing she liked about being with the Yato was she didn't need to feel embarrassed by her lack of table finesse. They all ate heavily and she could write a trilogy about what eating habits to avoid after working with them for months.

"You are doing your paperwork." She almost gawked at the absurdity of it. "_Why are you doing your paperwork?_"

Kamui kicked off his feet from the table and shut the folder he was reading. There were maps on the table and a smile on his face.

"Sir, please_ move out of your table_ those folders are arranged _chronologically_. They will be delivered by post tomorrow and … never mind" She trailed off at Kamui's flatly unimpressed look. It was his table, she knew that, but she was _bored _and his work was just sitting there, _rotting_ while she had spare time. She knew she shouldn't have touched them, it was beyond her responsibilities but the approving looks the vice-captain told her otherwise. She often forgot the immediate surge of productivity procrastinators miraculously muster when the deadline was dangerously near.

She grinned and immediately deviated from the earlier topic. "The cook left you dinner –it's… some kind of greasy waterfowl with green sauce and onion looking things…"

He too decided that changing topics were the best course of action since trying to pick on her with the earlier one would lead to her telling him that he was lazy and didn't give a fuck about the Elders' deadlines because doing otherwise was off base.

One look at her dripping hair and he grinned with childish glee. "Where did you shower?" He tried again, because no matter how twisted the world was, he was still a man with needs.

"In Aik– wait a fucking second, we already talked about the probing and invasive questions!"

Too bad, he thought. He should have tried a different approach.

Chiaki sighed. She brought the food down to his table and hobbled to her closet. She pulled open the small drawers on the side and frowned when she didn't find what she was looking for.

_"I guess I need to seek help from the Admiral…"_

"Sir?" She tried to be polite. When he didn't make a move to indicate he was listening. She glowered silently and resisted the impulse to hit her own head with a baseball bat, which sounded strangely familiar.

"Kamui." She muttered. Her eyes narrow in suspicion. She saw him smirk condescendingly from an angle and she heard her heart pound in her ears like a frenetic drum beat. He was doing it on purpose and this time, she realized, there was no one in the ship to interfere if anything happened. She was acting like a fourteen year old, _again_. Chiaki curled her fists. She was not one of his swooning girls. She was a _nurse_ with enough dignity to bury the entire Harusame in shame.

She had probably misinterpreted everything from the start too.

"Do you have scissors?" She asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "What for? Have you finally snapped? Do you want to gouge my eyes ou–"

"I need to cut my hair." She said quickly.

His brows met in a bout of confusion and motioned her to come close to him. She took a second, but she complied, he could tell that she was a little reluctant to do so.

"A girl's hair shouldn't be short." He found himself saying.

"Yes, but practicality precedes aesthetics, my hair gets in the way all the time." She held the ends of her hair. He shook his head and stood from his seat. Time slowed down and everything seemed louder. The office chair retreated to the side, the ticking seconds of the clock that kept her awake, his muffled footsteps…

Then, "I think I know what to get you now."

She said "Huh." Because the profound sense that _something was about to happen_ made her head swim. He was close then, very close and his large warm hand enveloped her smaller one, caressed her pink locks. In a fit of embarrassment, her eyelashes dipped low and he decided that her eyes weren't brown, they were _auburn._ Large and bright with intellect she used to be obscure with him and they sparkled in any light, taunting him with something that never could be completely his. One hand clutching her own and his other carding her hair in the back of her head twisted to prevent her from moving away.

The nurse might have said something; there were a hundred things she wanted to say to him and another hundred she wanted to ask. If she did, he would have paused and the moment would have been broken. So she didn't. She might have told him to stop. Then he would have looked heartbroken. So she didn't.

He said "There's still the matter of an unfulfilled bet" and he kissed her.

Chiaki's limbs felt like jelly. She wouldn't have imagined earlier in life that the same man who was the cause of her misfortunes would be the first one who would kiss her. It was all teeth and tongue _and warmth _and his hand found its way on the divot of her chin. Kamui was presumptuous, arrogant and she felt insane for wanting to be there, for throwing herself between all that she stood for and Kamui's outburst.

As quickly as the kiss began, he broke away and she was trembling.

She could feel his thumb brush the side of her face, soft, gentle and cold.

"You were uncomfortable." He said with eyes like dark pools and his hand fell to his side. He was trembling too, she noticed. Then he smiled again, but she could see that it was his stupid bastard face. It was the Admiral, the sly Captain that dragged her unconscious body to his leaking ship months ago, it was him in his diplomatic excursions when Abuto was unavailable. It was not _Kamui._ It was the lonely version of him that she could not hold more than she could hold sunlight. His disappointment crawled under her skin, down the base of her spine and froze her lungs. He thought he read her wrong.

"No." She said and grasped him by his sleeve. "I wasn't"

"You're still a horrible liar, Chiaki." At least he didn't quit calling her by her name but it wasn't enough. She was a coward, and he wasn't. Her throat ached and her swollen lips twist into a heart-wrenching little grin.

"Only because I never expected it to be like this" she closed her arms around her torso. "I never had the courage and if what you said earlier about not being able to change– "

"Don't stutter." He whispered.

"If that meant anything to you"

"It was my _confession_."

"Oh good lord." Because she was choking on thin air, making panicked puppy noises and her face was in an entirely new shade of crimson. Her heart was expanding in her ribcage like an air balloon and she was pinned down at the corner by the sheer intensity of his attention. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?" She leaned back, only to find out that she was standing at an awkward angle all this time, her reactions numbing her other distracting senses.

"Only if you don't like me the slightest back. Then I'll stop."

She smiled and the dark expanse of the hole where his heart was supposed to be found out that it was deluding itself all along, that his chest had fully functioning organs with one that really drummed _loud._

"Don't stop." Then she looked down once more because she was embarrassed "just not in public."

"It could be revenge to Abuto. He's a slave driver, you know." He grinned evilly.

"You'll make him vomit rivers of blood. You'll _kill _him."

"_Oceans_ of blood" He corrected.

_"No nicknames as well!"_ She immediately squealed when she remembered how embarrassing her parents were.

He didn't think of that. Kamui looked at the nurse with one raised eyebrow and leaned closer, only for his face to be blocked by her open palms. He leaned back, slightly irritated.

"What else?" _Women are so complicated. _His eyes narrowed instinctively. She grinned, all white shiny teeth despite the shortage of toothpaste and his heart beats one, two, three times before it failed to stop. He swallowed and stared at Chiaki's auburn –not brown– eyes. What would Abuto say? He thought. His father was the worst character to think of at that moment, with his silly moustache and family problems he brought with his travels. So his mind wandered to the only other father figure he had, slightly hunched, smelly with the eyes of a broken man. He knew it was a stupid question. He knew the answer from the start, Abuto's cavalierly insight that would guide him in the train ride he strapped himself into.

_"The hell should I know dumbass, do whatever you fucking want. By the way, where's my raise? I've been asking you all week already!"_

Kamui blinked and instead dove into his memory place and scoured for the sappy paperback novels with gallant horse riding, devilishly handsome, nipple lacking pectorals, golden haired bastards Aiko read in super serious meetings he held. Surely there were some otherworldly wise aphorism he could use for supreme guidance.

Chiaki poked his forehead.

"I think you zoned off." She squinted, lips quirked in a lopsided grin.

"You distracted me." He lied smoothly when the office door broke down in the sheer weight of collected muscles and bones from the peeping toms and eavesdroppers outside who would like nothing more than to drop their eaves and run for their life because they were caught.

"Admiral." Aiko, the mastermind of the newly formed organization of The Super-Secret Romance Trackers lifted his pinky up and smiled an oily smile that could only bring its user inevitable death by ass beating.

_"Follow your heart!"_ He yelled, before running off in a futile dash of self-preservation.


	17. Chapter 17

When Aiko finally had the chance to deviate the irritated nurse from the group, the first thing he did was to put his hands on his hips and flip his neon orange hair. There was a smile on his face that could have blinded anyone if they weren't already blinded by the lustrous gleam of his newly acquired piercings.

"You know that men only want _that,_ right, Chiaki?" He sang, expensive boots muddy on the rotting forest ground.

Chiaki grimaced, this was the ninth time a person went up to her and asked about certain romantic progressions with the Admiral, each one irritatingly prodding and trespassing on everything she wanted private.

"Yes, Abuto-san had made me quite aware of that." Abuto's large bulging eyes when a running Aiko announced at the pub that Kamui and Chiaki were snogging up a storm back at the office hasn't receded yet. Constantly, every ten minutes or so, she would see him stare back at her mechanically with dark sleepless eyes. He finally braved up at about eight am and whispered to her the exact same things Aiko was informing her of. About men wanting nothing but _sex_ and she should run for her life. She figured she held enough power and threatened to rip his ball sack if he dared to continue pestering her about facts she already knew.

"Really!" Aiko puckered up and his glossy lips screamed of MAC by Estee Lauder. He wasn't smiling but he was overly chipper. "Then you should already know that if you want him so bad, all you have to do is unbutton that ugly flannel shirt of yours and tell him:_ Kamui, come here and make me feel like a real woman!"_ Which of course, he _had_ to screech out in the middle of the jungle in the company of the mentioned Kamui, Abuto and half a dozen men. Birds flew out of the canopy in horror and Chiaki wished she overslept and didn't come at all.

Kageri, being a five year old looked back at her and puckered his lips whilst making kissy sounds.

"Forget my vow of ceasefire, if I hear one more bullshit coming from you assholes, I am going to rip your tiny dicks off and feed them to you." She snapped in a crisp and threatening way that worked wonders to the company. More birds flew out of trees as well, one taking the liberty to frost Aiko's hair with smelly white excrement.

* * *

The morning before they set off Kamui had approached Chiaki in the gates of the city with something behind his back. The others weren't there yet and the only thing she could do was to stare at him blankly because the events from the previous night made her unable to look at him straight in the eye. There was a large marble gate behind her, really pretty with creepers growing heavily on the sides. It was far from the city as she was well informed about when and where to go.

About six am –because she was punctual– she was already there, making whistling sounds with a leaf blade.

"Don't worry, these aren't flowers." He grinned; she wasn't expecting flowers in the first place. When he brought his hands in front of him, he opened his palms like a young boy proudly showing his mum a dried toad.

"It's a hairpin." She deadpanned and inwardly slapped herself. "It's a hairpin!" She tried again, more cheerful this time, but it sounded worse.

"Did you sleep?" Kamui raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." She said despite having dark eye bags upon eye bags. "Two hours, maybe one and a half." She added just in case it backfired.

"Are you going to do that cliché woman thing where you say,_ oh, dearest me, I cannot possibly receive such an endearing gift from such a handsome man of–_"

"I don't sound like that." She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "I don't mean to appear naggy, but you must have forgotten that I requested for a worthless gift, this looks expensive." Like shit it did, it was simple however far prettier than the things she could afford. If she had the money anyway which she did not. The pin was made of silver, with three pink flowers at the end.

Kamui crossed his arms, because he did not have time for suspicious women who had too many questions.

"Wear it or I'll kill you," was the reply to her petty questions that didn't need to be answered.

Chiaki twisted her hair into a bun and quickly inserted the pin to hold her hair up. Kamui clicked his tongue in dismay and she could do nothing but to shift her weight at the side because there it was again, the burning gaze that made her stomach flip –in a good way.

"I shouldn't have gotten pink." He could hear Abuto and the others approach noisily from behind. "The flowers disappear." He mused. "Oh no, I like it very much." She said surprised even to her own words, finally catching his inquisitive eyes in that morning. "At least I don't have to cut my hair, right, bro." She said awkwardly, punching him in the arm in a friendly manner as a thank you.

_Just because you're awesome and kind and I really like you as a person_

Chiaki couldn't imagine hugging him a few weeks ago, now she thought he deserved it. As she smiled and slightly opened her arms to embrace the young Admiral he did something that she couldn't have predicted even if she could read palms or see the future in her sleep. When she approached him, he suddenly angled to the right and kicked her and she flew across the clearing. She slammed into the wet ground, tried ease the impact with a roll but the height of where she flew was too high and she simply dug into the damp earth painfully.

The nurse clutched her left arm and spat to the ground, finding the taste of moldy tree leaves and pebbles offensive.

She screamed "mother fuck!" and writhed in the ground in pain.

Soft crunching footsteps galore and Kamui's feet was close enough to her face, that if she wanted revenge, she could have braved any funky taste and bit his foot. He seemed unfazed. "You tried to hug me." He said cryptically.

"You kicked me in the boob!" She replied, head dizzy with pain. She could hear him say something, she could feel –hopefully not fire ants crawl under her stomach and she clutched the dirt for comfort.

She saw Kamui open his mouth to say something witty, probably an explanation but she ignored him and moaned in pain. Several insistent finger prodding on her cheek and when she was able enough, she swatted off his hand angrily.

"You wanted to give them a public view." Kamui said finally, looking down at her with closed eyes and a smile as he lifted her up with her uninjured arm. He gestured to the waiting group that consisted of Abuto, Aiko and a bunch of other muscle men and concluded that it was a damn well enough explanation. Then there was a loud, "don't worry Admiral, we all know you guys did the kissy stuff yesterday, so we're alright with PDA as long as it's not daylight procreation of multiracial species!" which was added generously by Aiko. Abuto gave a long suffering look and muttered something about finding a new occupation under his breath.

* * *

The trek to the forest was damp and unpleasant. The plan was to seek out a group of mercenaries and hire them as the Admiral's troops, because visiting the Yato's home planet –to the dismay of almost everyone except for Kamui– would take him weeks whilst this method stole shorter time. According to Abuto, the mercenaries consisted of a group who was banished by Hosen during his rule because they caused certain anomalies in his Führer inspired regime. She wondered why they weren't killed off, it may be because of some strategic reason that she wouldn't understand. Chiaki was beginning to develop a soft-spot on the race but lately, she felt abused. The throbbing pain on her arm and sometimes boob reminded her constantly and why the fuck was she there in the first place.

"Why am I here in the first place?" She inquired, confounded by the strange way the Yato thought.

Kageri, who marched beside her said, "I don't know either, maybe it's because of some strategic reason." because he was also confounded as equally as she was. He also used his umbrella strategically –by using the stubby end to scratch a spot he couldn't reach on his back.

"But I'm worried though." He sighed, "Locals said that the two groups are doing some sort of a power-grabbing fight, we're intruding right in the middle." They met eyes and he grinned widely. "Maybe that's why the Admiral got you into this; you can do your nurse thing while we do our killing thing!"

Chiaki didn't say anything. She didn't say that his words back then confirmed that they were all insane, and she was the only non-barbaric civilian amongst them, and that they should feel grateful because she wasn't going to abandon anyone. She also didn't say that she was now angrier at Kamui.

"Have you been complaining about how useless you feel, being a nurse and all? Because that's how you get into this shit." He drawled when she went silent.

Chiaki made a noise of utter bewilderment. That was the conversation she forced to Kamui after the kiss, she should have sought Abuto's counsel for topics that are okay and those that will lead her to perdition.

"Got it, no complaining about work" she said, suddenly in distress.

The front of the line was Abuto, he was holding a large waterproof map in front of him, there was a compass strapped to his side as well. Beside Abuto was Aiko, who was silently nursing his injuries after being beaten half dead by the Admiral. They were both in the middle. Fridgeotto was at the back with a really heavy looking pack that made her feel sorry for him. Kamui was nowhere to be seen. Kamui was a pillock and he careened on the canopy of the forest, preferring the company of man eating trees and oversized reptiles, and that was the end of her concern for him.

The hairpin felt heavy on her hair.

"Are we there yet?" Chiaki asked Abuto, it was night, past dinner and he was thumping trees with his metal arm.

Instead of answering her question, he sucked on his lower lip and glared at her.

"You still haven't forgiven him yet." He remarked darkly.

"Forgiven who?" Chiaki feigned innocence, but her healthy arm instinctively pressed tenderly on the large bruise on her other shoulder. She would have to sleep in the wrong side that night. One sour look from the vice-captain and she could only sigh. "Hey, I wasn't expecting him to go all soft on me after, you know… that night… but that still doesn't make me happy that he thinks he could kick around his subordinates and act like it's _normal_. He doesn't apologize. I have the right to feel sorry for myself." She was slightly touched that he cared, and annoyed that he expected her to do what everyone wanted her to. She was overflowing with questions that when she finally saw a glimpse of the Admiral, all red hair and sharp boots from the canopy, she looked up and yelled:

"Hey, did you _mist_ me." Smiling like an idiot, because the place was incredibly foggy and one can do nothing more but to exercise badly made puns.

Abuto groaned miserably –back to his usual self and trudged back to the campfire with the others. Kamui narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Stop looking at me suspiciously; _water _you doing so high up there?"

"Chiaki." Kamui warned. He wasn't a fan of puns.

"Oh, did I dampen your mood? No _sea_riously, are you _well_? Oh, don't be so angry, if you want, I'll just be aqua –iet girl and shut my clam hole."

He crossed his arms and glared at her from up high and she cringed a little.

"That's going to backfire on me." She concluded and turned around, feeling embarrassed. She wouldn't forgive him that easily, but she could at least try and give him her effortless candy-floss smile she gave to patients when she was bone tired and pissed as hell when they needed it. It wasn't comfortable to be off terms with someone high in the rank when you're following him. Three steps into the undergrowth and she was plucked from the ground from her collar with a rough hand from the trees. The next thing she knew, she was sitting in front of Kamui who didn't look amused.

The first thing she said was: "Are those my bandages, _again!_" She pointed at Kamui's arms which were stylishly covered with once sterile bandages. "Dude, how many times I've told you that stealing is okay, because you're a pirate, but stealing medical paraphernalia is _wrong_ because–"

"Shush." Kamui interrupted.

And she listened. Without her furiously nagging his ear off, she could hear _them _and she suddenly felt small and afraid.

The fucking trees were waking up, their swelling white branches swayed and cracked and she could tell from their howling that they were in pain. How foolish, she thought, that the brick like formations on their trunk that she imagined were patterns were actually teeth and the phrase man eating trees were not something to be taken light of. Down below, she could see the light of the fire she made for the company dim until it was cold nothingness and what she could only see was the fathom movements in the forest floor and Kamui's robin's blue eyes.

She wanted suddenly to scoot closer to him and stay there until its morning.

"Abuto and the others are alright, they already know what to do." Kamui said. She felt fear fill the well in her stomach. "And we're safe on the trees, not on the ground." He smiled and the words came out effortless.

Then, "Stand up."

"Hell no, if you expect me to stand up on this man-eating tree like you are then you're not using the right mind faculties that you should be using, you're on the cray-cray side –okay I know I'm not amusing but I have the right to remain sitting." She persisted.

"Trust me." He said, under that smiling bastard face there was something deeper and genuine. So she took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled up by him. "I'm sorry for hurting you." She could feel his warmth, he led her to the large twisty trunk and gestured her to climb higher. She looked up and –oh light pollution should really be banned in earth because barely covered by man-eating leaves was the universe itself. No perfect laptop background of the stars and galactic like colors could imitate that.

She gripped the branches, found it disturbingly warm and pushed through.

"It was my mistake for trying to hug you." She replied. "The universe had been telling me even from the beginning that I was going to be in the painful end of some serious ass whooping if I did so."

He was amused by her choice of language. "From the beginning you say." He repeated with a slight tilt of his head, seen even in the dark.

"Don't try to trick me into saying nice things about you." She grinned as he pushed her up to a larger, higher branch. She thanked him. He apologized again by forcing her to stand on the center of said branch in an unfamiliar defensive stance against randomly kicking assholes that kicked women because they were uncomfortable with PDA.

"I look ridiculous." She said relaxing to her slightly hunched posture. The branches shook in the wind.

"Yes, but if you want less of a bruised shoulder the next time I kick you, you should learn it."

"Oh the next time you kick me? No wonder the ladies throw themselves at your feet." She said with a lopsided smile, because she saw how his eyes crinkled and that he felt bad for doing it. The feeling must be foreign to him, being a right tosser who maltreated his subordinates when he felt like it. It was strange, the Yato, that they never left. It was stranger that in all that power, all that genius and intelligence that he was slightly a child who never had proper parenting.

His braid swished in the wind while he laughed.

Chiaki shook her head. To have all of his attention solely focused on her was enthralling. It was breathless, made her dizzy and she wondered if she could fully appreciate it. The idea was new to her, but it wasn't to him. Kamui always overstepped boundaries, leaving chaos and hurt behind him.

The wind blew.

Then the nurse fell.

It was more of a slip really.

Her breath left her, it was cold and her body felt iced. She numbly saw her hand –the wrong one reach out for the branch. It made contact and her bruises sang, tortured fingernails dug desperately to the bark as gravity hummed and dragged her by her torso. Too heavy and she slipped, cried, there was nothing she could do than to let the ground claim her, let the trees sip her blood. Everything she fought for, gone.

Then there was pain, not the one she was expecting –she didn't expect pain at all. It went from her healthy wrist to her tendons, to the tiny spaces separating her bones and her ribs. A strong hand held her wrist. Dizzy with fear and her stomach still dropping, she could feel his disappointment flow out of him in cascades, his dirty fingernails dug to the white of her skin. Warm blood leaked from crescents.

"Don't." Kamui said, tense, his blue eyes flaming, maybe angry. There was a second where she thought he might let go. Kamui stood up. She was lifted up, still testing the capacity of human speech when one was reduced to adrenaline and fear. He was irritated, the same look he gave his vice-captain when he so purposely allowed his ass to get beaten by his sister. Not because of the failure, but his shamelessness to _tease_ Kamui after. Chiaki might not know it, but she was _grinning._

"Don't fucking do that again." He finished and her feet found solid tree branch.

His hand didn't let go and he could feel her blood drip.

A flightless owl hooted.

"Let's sleep." Kamui concluded and slowly released her wrist. She said _'oh Jesus'_ because without adrenaline working as morphine, her body ached like a giant wound. Then she glanced at him with something very much like and because she was completely honest with herself, she though:

_"I really like you."_

* * *

The days had been sweltering hot, so one afternoon, when _she couldn't take it anymore. _She decided fuck it, and went to the river to bathe.

The stream was loud, welcoming with the invitation of cleanliness. It made her skin itch with the filth she didn't know she carried. It was a lunch break, which meant she could disappear for two hours and still come back to see Abuto and the others feast like kings with food she didn't know where they stored.

Aiko also said to her once that if there were malicious thugs that appeared wanting to do harm. All she should do is to say, _KYYYAAAAAAAAAA_! And Kamui would come for rescue. Which she thought was utter bull, so she sneaked out three grenades and her G360P12 ParaSoul© model fem with 16 rounds left. With a change of clothes, a microscopic bar of anti-bacterial soap and all that weaponry, Chiaki trudged through the forest and out to a slow moving river with a waterfall at her right. It would have been perfect, except for a slight miscalculation she had hoped to be nonexistent.

"Are you sure this place doesn't have any man-eating river borne parasites that can screw through flesh to lay eggs on my brain?" She asked Kamui, who was leaning against a giant mossy rock. There was a book on TErA-1740a Nexus in the office, she focused her attention about terrain and wildlife before the letters swam in her head and she found herself inspecting a man's tinea.

Kamui was shameless.

"Leeches are primarily what consists of river-borne parasites –ah are you sure it's a good idea to bathe?" Dirt, grit and grime didn't feel worthy enough to touch the Admiral, as always, he was pristine perfection down to the last braid. Chiaki was smeared with jungle grime and dead leaves littered in her hair.

"Not if you're standing there, no" she tapped her foot a little.

His lips quirked, his eyes shut to adorable half-moons and he lifted his arms to make a point.

"You know fish shit and have sex on that water." He tried to sound reassuring. She wanted to splash his face with a bucketful of it.

"Have you ever seen gangrene, spot-on sepsis, _pus filled lesions?_" She waved her arm marked with his nails and gave him a serious lesson filled with exaggeration and lies about wounds, infection and ulcers. Five minutes of it and she was thrown into the ice cold river where fish shit and have sex in. It wasn't pleasantly cold either; it felt like knives made of frozen steel. She dropped the f-bomb multiple times before Kamui happily pointed at a spot above the waterfall.

Wading sloppily to the riverbank wasn't dignified, especially while cussing. She marched up and stood beside the Admiral, wanting to see what the fuss is all about.

Fridgeotto relieved himself near dangerous jagged rocks, yellow stream immediate to the river's pristine waters. He gladly zipped his trousers and whistled. "Your turn now Abuto." She could hear him yell despite the deafening roar of the falls.

"Sweet." Abuto's voice was clear as well. "I found these smooth lookin leaves by the camp,_ perfect for wiping!_"

"Coolio!" Fridgeotto grinned. "My behind hurts from that low quality TP you brought –cheap old man– finally some finer living!"

Then like rabbits sensing presence of a large wolf, the both of them stiffened and looked back, down below where the water was waist deep, where a man shaped alien pirate and a pink haired nurse stood. Chiaki was silent, being the person who gave out organic orange juice in environmental rallies –green thumbs yo!– ,she should have thrown the grenades at them, bastards, soiling rivers with diarrhea, disrupting the ecosystem with the putrid stench of their filth. Kamui didn't give a damn, having already done his business.

Chiaki teared up for god knows why and Kamui deemed it as a betrayal of traditional masculine expression and threw her into the river again.

* * *

Her hair hasn't dried yet when they set off. When asked, Abuto said 'soon, we'll be there soon' and when she said it wasn't much of a satisfying answer he hissed like a cat, asked her to walk at the rear end of the group and shut her mouth. He was embarrassed of the river incident of course, if the seemingly permanent red in his face meant anything. He growled every twenty minutes or so and Aiko wasn't helping him at all.

"_Mou,_I don't see why you're so touchy, she didn't see you naked didn't she? You didn't see her naked, and Chiaki is a medical professional, she wouldn't care." Aiko tried to sound like a doting mother.

Abuto grumbled like a man.

"You didn't complain like this when you saw me naked~!" The flamboyant man said and all the others felt pity for the vice-captain. "I was drunk!" Abuto reasoned out, "and I didn't know it was a gay bar!" Much of his past should be buried ten feet underground incased in diamond boxes.

Two things happened very fast, a stranger yelled from the canopy and gunshots rained upon them.

It was strange that all she could focus on was how her hand hurt, how the tiny crescents of the Admiral's nail wounds ached as it hit the base of her parasol when she opened it to shield herself from the volley of shots. There was a blur of color and she saw the vice-captain and Aiko propel to the thick expanse of the wood. She saw Fridgeotto and Kageri lurch madly into the dark of the forest. She barely registered that she was too slow and with a scream stemming more from cowardice than the will to fight. The nurse whipped her umbrella close and dived off the muddy trail to the rotting undergrowth.

She could hear her comrades screaming. She could see blood fly in fat red drops from the trees above. She did not see Kamui.

Her knees gave away, body flat against the mossy ground, tortured fingernails scraping the dangerously sharp pebbles –she heard the first salvo of gunfire die. Her breath stopped and she saw the body of a thinner blonde –not Abuto, her worries died– crash into where she stood earlier. His tongue was out, lips the color of rotting poppies. The man's eyes flickered, bloody green ones met hers. There was silence from the man that dragged long enough to make her feel relieved when he cackled. Shoulders held firm purchase to the ground and the tip of his parasol was making its way to her forehead.

There was time for her to feel the tiny cuts in her hands crammed with grit and moss, she pointed her own weapon at his face and shot him.

Chiaki remembered the last time she killed, it was the prison guard. Guilt ate parts of her and shame clung like cheap perfume. This time, there was no enjoyment, there was no thrill, there was a part of her –the one that sat beside the dying– who'd never forget the dead man and another part who sniffed the blood, and grinned.

She slammed her hand on a protruding root, gave herself five seconds to calm the thundering of her undying panic that was rising toward the surface. She was all alone, she thought, limbs shaking with cold fear, she slammed her hand once more and _moved._

There was a tree with lower branches, hidden behind thick prickly vines. Chiaki set the weight of her umbrella up a fork and watched, training her eyes on unfamiliar men and placing well aimed bullets in vitals. The fresh red of her blood smearing everywhere was a pain. When she saw a young man hidden in the green, loading shells on something that resembled an old Spanish cannon, aimed at Kamui, with his brassy hair and broad shoulders, sailing away to stab a man that resembled their leader –flashy uniform, eyepatch and plume hat.

She shot him and missed.

The boy saw her, grinned like a madman and aimed the weapon at her.

"I'm gonna die." She whispered to herself, fear gripping her like chains. The boy behind the cannon tipped his hat, she had no idea what it meant, but she was sure it wasn't_ Oh honey no. I was just polishing this cannon, not pointing it to you to murder you or anything. By the way, I have a basket of hot frosted doughnuts here; want to snack with me while we converse about_ _the probability that there are cougars in the forest? Cheerio!_

Chiaki careened away from the target, her own weapon abandoned, the cannon roared.

It wasn't true that some impressively significant memory from the past flashes before those in near death situations. Her calling was a little insignificant. A future where she was reduced to Cherry Jello, a close casket funeral at the Harusame, it would be Abuto's excuse to go absent without pay, Aiko would get whatever meager stuff she had left, someone will inquire if he should dump the body in space or reuse it by dumping it with the coals so his ship would have extra energy. Someone will ask in a bored tone if there was food, it would most likely be Kamui.

Chiaki was batshit furious that the numbness from shock she read from all those action novels was nowhere to be found.

Her parasol must have been blown off its branch, because it was beside her, steaming hot as her blood pooled all over it. Her shoulder felt excruciating and her vision was filled with purple-black spots that swam like goldfish. The first thought was,_ poor mom_ –the second one, because Chiaki remembered her replacing her blankets when it was too cold– and _I'm sorry Admiral._ Like all other infatuated girls, she had imagined herself beside him if he'd become lonely. She had come so close.

Her vision faded slowly –hypovolemic shock. Then she heard Kamui's voice in her ear.

_"If you die right now I'm going to dump your body to the coals."_

* * *

Chiaki didn't die. She came around twice, the first time smelling Kamui's sun dried clothes, her cheek feeling the silk of his hair. The first thing she thought was that he must have been spending the Harusame funds with VO5 hair styling products. She forced her eyes open and felt a surge of panic when she met eyes with the leader of the group that attacked them –the one the Admiral was fighting. He raised his eyebrows, shock washed over his features.

"Hey, boss, your girl's awake." His voice echoed in her head, she had enough energy to flip him the bird before darkness took over her.

The second time she woke up, she punched Abuto.

Too surprised to avoid her fist, it made contact and she screamed as her muscles made her feel the most spectacular _agony_ that was there to be felt.

Abuto's response to the crying girl was. "Asshole! I just finished stitching you. Damn it!" It should have sounded funny, but it came out as irritated and tired. With his usual crooked smile though. Chiaki gave herself another few more seconds before she allowed herself to inspect the pomegranate gash on her shoulder. It was deep enough to tear her vessels into pieces. She gave the vice-captain an undefinable look, to the weary lines on his face, to the patches of dark red on his shirt.

Chiaki didn't move, afraid that the shattering pain will shoot back and bring her to darkness. There was no time for that.

She was in a small room –not a hospital, nor a clinic– with white walls and multicolored Chinese roof tiles. She noted that she should ask where the hell she is, but there were more pressing matters.

"That your blood?" She gestured at Abuto's clothes, eyes wide with focus.

"It's yours, now lean back a little. You ripped out a few." He managed. Chiaki edged to the wall in small movements. She gasped when she realized that her shirt was gone, her bra thankfully strapped around her chest. She didn't give a shit though, pain flared through her system like fire and she inwardly said to herself:_ Abuto is such a great man; I shall never say bad words to him, ever again, promise._

When she saw that his stitches was all wrong and it didn't look like he washed his hands in the first place.

She said: "You cur!" then demanded a pair of gloves from her pack and taught him how to stich like a real medic violently with the use of her own shoulder.

"If I didn't wake up, I would have gotten infection _on the inside_." She grit out.

"Hah!" Abuto would have spat on the ground like a real renegade, but he was in a girl's presence so he just crossed his arms brusquely. "It's hardly my fault you went and got yourself bombed." He said.

Chiaki would have punched him again, or maybe pinched him. Showing more wisdom than the guts to do sweet justice upon hurtful words, she did nothing but to growl at him. Any pinching of the sorts would lead to leaking stiches because Abuto was the kind of sick fuck that would fight the injured if it inflated his ego. So she said, "Where the hell am I?" It might have been the proper reply because he brightened up.

The monsoon season was heavy upon them and Kageri said that it was super lucky of them to not be caught in the middle of a raging storm at night because that would have woken up all the man-eating trees and Chiaki would have been eaten alive because she was at snail speed while everyone was fucking pelican level graceful. Chiaki grinned because she had extra laxatives to slip in his food. The ground was all mud and slippery weeds and the area was a slough. The houses were beautiful though, painfully detailed roofs, bright walls with triangular windows in aquamarine right in the middle of the forest. Like a hole in a mossy tooth.

"What the hell." The nurse whispered as two boys began shooting each other happily with makeshift umbrellas. Nuts and pebbles flying toward each other.

They were outside. Her shoulder ached madly and her arms were almost dysfunctional in pain. Abuto was happy.

"We are at a Yato settlement." A freckled boy with a straw hat stopped running and stared at Abuto. The vice-captain waved with his robotic arm. The boy waved back and kicked him in the knee.

"Settlement of the guys that _attacked_ us?" She scowled.

"It was a misunderstanding." Abuto pointed out, immediately dodging when sludge of purple fruit flew toward where his head was half a second ago. The vice-captain huffed angrily and flipped the bird at the culprit –the same boy who had the gall to kick him earlier. The young boy glared angrily before he changed his mind and began crying to his mother. Abuto had the sick sense of triumph before the boy's mother –the largest lady Chiaki had ever seen. She marched from inside a hut with a butcher's knife stuck to her belt.

The vice-captain had two choices, one was to abandon Chiaki and run for his life. Two was to carry her and run for his life. The second option was chosen because the last time he was selfish, he had a week of loose bowel movement.

"The Admiral actually listened to my diplomatic lessons and talked to Sadashi, their leader. While fighting him, of course –Stop screaming the fat broad will find us! –Sadashi agreed to have his men including him hired." Abuto was surprisingly stealthy, dodging civilians, a group of yapping puppies and sheep despite the uncomfortably chilling wind blowing at his ridiculous cape.

"That fast? There has to be some catch!" Chiaki cried, not liking how she was slung on his back like the first day, her injuries threatening to reopen. Abuto must have only heard the word 'fast' because he ran faster.

Kamui and the Sadashi guy sat at an impressive table decorated with an extensive map of the country with tiny little chess pieces when Abuto burst in with Chiaki punching his nipples.

The dirty blonde placed the nurse on the ground, then like a bird with ruffled feathers. She tugged her clothes at places to look presentable.

"You should be resting." Kamui leaned back, scrutinizing her bruises. "I am already well rested, sir." She saluted not knowing that she was out only twenty minutes ago. The Admiral focused his attention on Abuto whose lips were protruding –a new look he found out while practicing his 'I'm a broken man' look at the mirror. "Why did you bring her here?"

"She pestered me to walk her around the place." He answered.

"And why did you allow yourself to be ordered around by our nurse? She should be asleep–"

There was a sound of horror punctuated with a worried look from Chiaki. "Oh gods." She said wide-eyed, her less painful arm twisting at her hair where her hairpin should be.

"I lost the pin." She said, heart dropping a hundred miles per hour. "It must have fallen in the explosion." She muttered.

"You didn't." Kamui answered producing the hairpin from his pocket. Chiaki almost felt alive then. "Here, catch." He said, which was a mistake because he threw it with so much force that it whacked her directly on her injured shoulder opening the stitches again, spilling blood all over the floor. She must have fallen unconscious again because the next time she woke up. It was in low-grade icy pain and there was cotton warmth around her, protecting her like a cocoon.

There was a large lit candle flickering by her bedside and she saw Kamui reading books in Yatonese at a corner.

Her mouth felt like a desert. She wanted to say, 'water' but what came was a dry squeak. It was enough for the Admiral, he poured her a glass and she sat up and finished it three desperate gulps.

She felt horrible. Dread scraped like an animal inside her ribcage, shame unwavering. She could hear her heartbeat count the seconds and her self-control trickle into nothing.

"Why do you even bother?" She said to Kamui, the pin was beside the candle. It was too dark to decode his expression; she didn't think she could able to do so even if the lights were on. He was quiet. Chiaki was bone-tired, exhaustion taking over her. She would not have the courage to ask this on a normal day, but now that her senses were dull and her fingers were numb she felt like she could. She didn't want him to look at her differently, perhaps he had been deluding himself. She wanted to reassure herself before it was too late, before she had invested too much on him only for her heart to be crushed by the weight of his disapproval.

"I'm useless." She whispered, throat tightening in reaction. "I can't fight, I try but I always get myself hurt. I'm a _medic_. You don't need medics, I try to do my job but everyone shoos me away because they don't need my help." Chiaki swallowed. Her toes felt like ice. "I'll only slow you down… and… gods… why did you _kiss_ me of all people? If I had known I would have left in the first place–"

The well of his palm made contact with her mouth, shutting her from the stream of words that was hurting to come out. The force itself was strong enough to force the nurse until her back hit the wall beside the bed. She howled in pain. "Say those words again and I'll rip your head off." He said slowly, darkly, menacing. His voice sounded none other than his own, his fingernails digging into the flesh of his palm but the pain felt distant. Then there was regret, seeing her eyes widen in fear wasn't his intention. Kamui retracted, careful to make sudden movements.

"You won't." Chiaki fiddled her thumbs. "You'd probably dissect me alive first." She grinned.

Kamui would have been mortified, but her smile was genuine and the choking atmosphere from earlier was forgotten.

"We're going to fight a group of mercenaries tomorrow." He dragged a chair and sat on her bedside.

"Neat." The nurse said. "I need more painkillers though, if you want me to walk around without complaining all day."

"You're not included. You'll stay here."

"Oh…" her eyebrows met. "Stay here." She repeated for confirmation.

Kamui shifted in his seat. "You see, Sadashi's group isn't the only band of Yato in this planet." He explained. Chiaki immediately got the gist of it, despite nearly drifting into sleep.

"The civil war thing…" She said. "There is Sadashi-san's group and …"

"Tadakatsu's group." Kamui ended her question.

"Why not just leave with this guy's army, why do you need to fight another group? I don't understand, it's such a waste of energy." She shuffled closer to the wall, trying to keep warm as possible.

Kamui smiled. It turned out that there were indeed two groups, Sadashi's group, whom resided in the village they were resting on deviated from Tadakatsu's group because Tadakatsu, their previous leader was a proper Führer in every inch of his body and he liked to play bagpipes in the middle of the night. So, like every power hungry totalitarian, Tadakatsu took it as an insult resulting to a declaration war onto his own fellowmen.

"That doesn't give Sadashi-san the right to jump at us back at the forest." Chiaki said thoughtfully.

"Tadakatsu followed my good for nothing father for two years, so when word went to these people, they thought that we were going to Tadakatsu to help him."

"Where were we going in the first place?" She inquired, still kept in the dark.

"We were actually planning to go at middle and attack at both sides, hiring anyone who'd survive." Kamui said as politely as he could.

Chiaki squinted. "Does that work all the time?"

"It does." Kamui agreed quickly.

"So… you kill the Tadakatsu guy's army and get Sadashi and his men." She concluded.

"No, I just have to kill of Tadakatsu and then his men will come following me." That was how the Yato's mind worked. Follow the strongest coolest guy with the brightest shade of hair dye. Chiaki then asked what time it was –it was eleven. She then asked again why the hell she was alone in a dark room with only Kamui as company, unless you counted the rats, but they have plenty of other rat business to do.

"Abuto spread rumors that we were together, so they assumed giving us a room would be most advantageous."

Chiaki must have been too near at breaking point about being teased and harshly rumored about, because she sighed, face going crimson on the edges.

"You didn't complain at all? Kick Abuto-san's ass for the rumors?" She demanded, entirely too aggravated.

"It is advantageous." At that one moment, Kamui let out a smile that was so sly and opportunity grabbing that she stuffed her face with a soiled pillow and didn't look up until she was sure that she could keep her face pallor, placid and emotionless. Kamui was evil, so he said, "Aiko was planning to write a book about us, the title was,_ Romance in the Galaxies._"

"And you're not doing anything to stop it?" She bit her lower lip in exasperation, her vision going white around the edges.

"As long as they're not damaging reputation, it's fine." Kamui was absolutely delighted.

Chiaki was hyperventilating, counting how many times she could poison the two without being held accountable for it.

And just to calm her down, avoiding any reopening of stitches, he said, "This village has a clinic, Sadashi was thankful to have a proper physician visit. He has a number of men suffering from gangrene, scurvy and all other nasty things you'll be checking out tomorrow." He shuddered at the memory of her telling him exaggerations about said health problems. "If you want of course, and they are very _willing._"

It was Chiaki's turn to brighten up. She felt like the previous version of her, always deliriously tired wrapped under incandescent bliss, wanting to stay up as long as she can. But she wasn't, and this time, she knew that her rapturous sentiment would last, sink under her skin until she'd worn it off. It won't disappear like lightning anymore, won't wash her with seclusion. So when she was tired of their easy conversations she folded herself under the warmth of her sheets. Nearly drifting off to sleep with Kamui carding his fingers through her dirty hair, she looked around for a sofa, a futon, anything worth sleeping on, finding none. She tugged at his gray shirt and told him, "If you sleep on the floor, I'll cut off you braid."

He did sleep beside her, awkward as a log, but when she woke up with the sun and looked for him he was nowhere to be found. A scrawny boy with pine needle green hair was waiting outside the door. He was the same boy who shot the cannon at her.

"Oh, hi." Chiaki said blankly.

"The Admiral said that he already went out with Abubu-san, Aigoo-san and Refrigerator-san." He saluted, an incisor missing at the left. She almost felt sorry for the last three, but then she remembered that the first two was destroying her life one romance novel at a time. "I'm also told to bring you wherever you like, but outside of the camp is prohibited" announced the boy. "I'm also sorry for tearing your shoulder." He was brutally honest, wasn't he? "I'm also sorry for stealing your socks." He gave it back in neat rolls.

"I'm also really sorry for– "

"Okay, stop," Chiaki choked out, leaning forward to stop any advancing I'm sorrys that might ruin whatever meager liking she had for the green haired boy.

"What's your name?" She asked politely.

"You can call me Pip, ma'am, I am ten years old." He saluted again.

The nurse fidgeted, her gut wrenching on a familiar feeling of sadness. A short flare of fury passed through her features before it dissipated into numbness that made her wounds throb. She smiled placing her hand on his head. There was a high chance that he already had taste of his first kill at nine, and at twelve he would join a bloodthirsty army, a group of pirates, mercenaries, be a sell sword. By seventeen, he would lead his own bloodthirsty group and die smiling at forty because of a minor miscalculation in the battlefield.

"Well, Pip." Chiaki opened her umbrella to shield herself from the sun –merely a habit she picked from the others. Pip immediately went under the shade with a cheeky smile. "Let's find some food first, and then lead me to the clinic…. Do you want to learn basic first aid?" She asked him.

Pip nodded vigorously.

* * *

The medical clinic was an old, single-story building. The wooden beams had turned black with age and the grey walls were white in the edges. It was located behind several large trees beside a pen caging a dozen of noisy brown sheep.

"Hey, hey, missy!" Kageri waved his arm back and forth upon catching a glimpse of Chiaki's hair. The nurse lifted her head from the cabinets. "You're not with the Admiral?" She asked with both her eyebrows raised. He was lying down on a creaky bed under thin white sheets with a large fluffy pillow supporting his head.

"No." He beamed. "I wanted to follow Sadashi and the Admiral but he said I'm not fit for battle." He looked down and pointed a small protrusion on his chest, obviously trying to subtly emphasize his abs.

"Broken ribs." Chiaki walked to him, Pip followed behind.

"Do you know what the Admiral also told me?" Judging by his cutthroat smile and mischievously glinting eyes, she didn't want to. She shook her head. Kageri wasn't going to be stopped, "He said that if I flirted with the nurses, he'll demote me to head janitor." The Yato said in a sing-song voice.

_Oh, what a crock of lies!_

"You are a lying liar." The nurse raised an eyebrow, mildly unimpressed with his tactics.

To change the topic, she asked: "How did you break your ribs?" The downside about the Yato's impressively fast healing was that broken bones had to be immediately set to its proper place before it began fixing itself. Judging by Kageri's awkward way of lying down, it had already healed and he was in pain. Even so, he struggled to make himself look cool.

"Oh _that._" Kageri stretched back. "I'm not really proud of my climbing skills, so I fell down a tree while fighting." He observed his nails.

"Ha!" Pip squeaked from behind her.

"But I dragged down _five men with me!"_ He said proudly. He liked to think of himself as a fearsome warrior who drank the blood of his enemies with cups made out of their socket joints because purified water was for beggars.

"You are a _lying liar who lies."_ The nurse hissed like a wet cat.

"Au contraire." Kageri winked at Pip and opened the curtain beside him in one swift motion revealing five men, all with broken ribs. They smiled pitifully, one winked and the other waved his fingers at her with a bashful smile.

Chiaki, in one dark and terrible night had amputated a man in twenty minutes. So she took out a hammer from a box below Kageri's bed and broke his ribs again to set it right without local anesthesia, because one, they didn't have local anesthesia and two, it would hurt his ridiculous man pride. When she finally forced his crying form down –with the help of an enthusiastic Pip– she looked up at the five others and they scampered out like five giant roaches!

"Hey, doc!" Pip heaved an amber bottle up. "Look what I found." She told Pip that she was a nurse, but he was insistent on calling her doc. Chiaki did a square knot on a man's head bandage and inspected the bottle. It had the words 'ether' etched to it. "You can open em' up without them screaming now!" He said.

"Pip, I'm not a surgeon." She set the bottle down. "Don't you have any doctors here? Other nurses? This place is filled to the brim with the sick. I haven't seen anyone come it to help yet." She washed her hands by the sink.

Pip thought it through. "No, Sadashi-san delivers all the medical stuff. There was an orderly once, but I think he drowned at the river." He sat down by an empty bed and began wiping a 9mm pistol clean. Chiaki protested, when he told her that weapon maintenance was done even at the toilet, she put out a sign outside that said. "No cleaning of weapons inside." She was not going to find stray gun metal lying around the bedding.

Chiaki multitasked. The clinic was filled with those suffering from respiratory illness to those with gangrenous wounds. It seemed like their healing ability malfunctioned in the presence of rotting flesh. There was boiling water on the stove for hours and by the time it was afternoon a man with a beard walked up to her while she was clearing out tropical ulcers and hugged her brusquely laughing with rough words in another language. She removed a gangrenous chunk of his leg six hours earlier. He couldn't walk earlier and he was ashamed to have her treat it. Now his leg was a healthy scabbing limb.

"He's asking if there is anything he can do to help." Pip asked. She had asked him to leave hours ago. He shouldn't see what she was seeing. He wouldn't be able to eat for days. It felt wrong. He was insistent still, as some of the patients couldn't speak the common tongue. He was a translator of sorts.

Chiaki gave her patient antibiotics as followed in routine. The man with the ulcer would probably be out swooning the ladies after three hours, but she had to be sure.

"We have to amputate the man at the bed on your left. He's going to lose his arm." She said with a touch of wry sadness. "I don't have the ability to save it." The nurse looked bravely in the dark beady eyes of the volunteer. "You have to hold him down while we etherize him."

And he did.

Thirty minutes later, the volunteer ran to the window and emptied his stomach. She produced a tiny bottle of mint from her pack. "Don't use it all." She said, even if he didn't understand, she rubbed his back, thanked him with a soothing smile and guided him out.

Her young assistant was out looking for lunch –it was three in the afternoon, when a patient on the floor clasped her heel. She watched him hesitantly. His face was blank with red spots on his neck. The way he looked at her reminded her of a snake in the grass, but he seemed old, tired to the crow's feet on the sides of his eyes. There was shouting from the outside, but she was preoccupied by him. His hand fell down limp at the floor, eyes in a cloudy gray. "There was a door." He said in a terrible gentleness. "A brilliant one, warm, white and soft, _my wife was there._ Why did you stop me?" It was terribly noisy outside. She could hear children _screaming_ –maybe a game of tag. There was a particularly loud one, an outcry, wood hitting flesh. "Why with you stop me from going home?" He sounded hollow. Chiaki felt clawing in her chest. The sound of gunfire and shelling was all about.

"Oh gods." She said, moving away from him. He asked again, "Why did you stop me?" but she didn't hear any of it. Her hands were shaking madly. Shadows from outside ran wild, windows rattling from the shaking ground. The paralyzing fear in her knew that there was no time at all, that they were all in borrowed seconds before Pip burst inside the room fully armed screaming in a barely pubescent voice,

"They're in here! Tadakatsu's men! They're killing everyone!"


	18. Chapter 18

AN:

Jesus take the wheel!

I want to tell you all that an AMAZING PERSON with the pen name Xantie had drawn a super sexy Chiaki and here is the link:

Full body: Sta . Sh/01t43nml6jnz

Headshot: sta . sh/024awcijhik4

Just remove those spaces and your eyes will be blessed by some well drawn fanart of our beloved OC! I really thank you Xantie-sama! You are an incredible person with rocking talent!

* * *

**Chapter 18**

She didn't know how the tomb like silence erupted into full-blown chaos.

A shot behind Pip shattered a sliding door, sending crystal showers of broken glass flying. Chiaki lunged at the wall beside her, under a bed as glass landed around her body like raindrops. She heard sleeping patients rouse and panic. There was nothing she could do then but to grasp herself tight in the arms, forcing her shuddering breaths to slow. Panic rode her like waves of thunder and she could feel her stomach coil in ache.

"Pip!" She yelled, hands frantic, searching for something she could use as a weapon. Her parasol was left at her room. She was defenseless.

Pip answered, "Here!" before a man in his forties launched in. The boy swiveled in reaction. The blundering enemy swiped him off with an arm. Pip flew, silent as a mouse, before he crashed into one of the clinic beds. Its occupant tumbled off and fell down the floor, still unconscious.

Chiaki never forgot how brave he looked then. How he propelled himself to strike the man with knives he tucked under his sleeves, how cold her hairpin felt in her hand when her body moved on its own, killing Pip's enemy by stabbing a hole in his neck. The stranger drowned in his own blood.

The green haired lad stood in silence, eyes wide with shock before she shook him by the shoulder –leaving bloody imprints. "Pip!" She yelled again. Her voice louder than gunfire, her free hand pointed at a wooden door behind him.

"Where does that door lead to?"

"It's a backdoor, it leads to the river." He ran to the door and shoved the heavy pile of boxes that blocked it.

"How many men are outside?" She asked, quickly checking at her rowdy patients, some of them took whatever weapons available inside, the others jumped off windows, ready for battle. Pip understood her question. "They are concentrated in the houses. Not too many here. I think that man followed me."

"Great." Chiaki paused, willing the panic to settle on the pit of her stomach. "May I ask for your help?" She asked seriously with a voice barely audible from the chaos outside.

"Yes." He answered to her relief.

"I'll wake up drugged the patients upstairs. Drag the others out as far as you can."

Pip nodded instinctively. He hurriedly hauled two drowsy patients by their arms.

A flash of dull orange and brown shifted in the broken doorway.

"No can do." Kageri appeared, flushed and blood specked. His face was twisted into a worried frown. "I can't fucking believe the first thing you want to do is to rescue these fags, I don't know what the Admiral sees in you." He threw her parasol and his phone at her direction which she caught easily.

"I do it, because it's my job." She snarled, and then she made her way upstairs in five flighty steps before waking everyone up in the vicinity, yelling at them to get the fuck out of the clinic.

Kageri met her halfway down the first floor with his knuckles white and bloody by from clutching his weapon. He was kneeling on the ground, sniping madly.

He yelled at her back. "You can't save them all. I need to get you out of here."

"Not yet."

"You're an idiot aren't you?" Kageri's hair prickled. "Did you actually think that I was left behind because of a broken bone? The Admiral picked me to be your guard dog; he'll kill me if anything happens to you." He clutched her leg. A stray bullet hit his parasol and he cursed, released her leg and shot back.

"Kageri" She swallowed, she should be touched, she should follow him. The nurse ran away multiple times, this could be overlooked, but her nightmares had been fiendish and she could not last another night being terrorized inside a cramped cupboard. "I don't think I can delude myself into thinking that what I did is right if I left them to die without doing anything."

It made him angrier.

"Self-righteous scum."

He ripped off the dusty curtains and wrapped the cloth around his face and neck. "I'll be able to hold this rat hole for five minutes. I'll drag you off whether you want to or not after." If he said anything else, she didn't hear it, because she was already tearing off and dragging a screaming man with one leg down the stairs to the doorway.

Overhead the sky was in the shade of rust. A few houses crumbled into a pile of black as flames licked the last of the buildings. Tadakatsu had already rounded most of the non-fighting civilians at the center of the village, some of the young'uns crying for their parents, most of them were silent, waiting for an opportune moment. Chiaki had a minute left, she flipped Kageri's phone open and called the number with labeled, 'shitty VC.' Kageri already informed him earlier judging by the phone's records.

…

**"Kageri, we're on our way, is Kamui's bitch secure?"**

"Abuto-san. I don't appreciate being called the Admiral's bitch."

**"Shit. Chiaki, is he alive? Pass the phone to him."**

"He's outside fighting. When are you going to arrive? I wanted to cook you all casserole since the food was gross."

**"Two hours…"**

"Abuto-san?"

**"The Admiral said he'd like that. He also would like you to know that if you do something reckless he'll ****_punish_**** you."**

"… Tell him to think of something creative, because he'll need it."

**"Oi, what are you going to do? Chiaki! Oi!"**

_"Chiaki, this is me."_

"Admiral?"

_"Don't do anything stupid. That's an order from your superior."_

"Sorry sir."

…

Chiaki shut the phone. From the door, Kageri entered with a smoking gun. "What did he say?" He asked.

"The Admiral promoted me a rank above you, I have complete authority." She lied sullenly.

"Seriously?" Then she closed her hand on his shoulder yelling, "Get down!" when a projectile flew through the front door. She swallowed her scream when it burst, dispelling red hot pieces of metal. Her umbrella shielded her, the curtains and bedsheets caught fire. Kageri cursed then shoved her off when two enemies marched in. Her umbrella bounced comically then landed atop a cabinet. The hairier one flipped the corpse of the man she killed and laughed.

"I've always hated this cur." He gave them a toothy grin.

He nodded to his comrade and Chiaki found herself saying. "Wait." The occupants of the room froze, the two watched her curiously. "I can't fight." She admitted. "Only this guy can… Don't you think it's unfair that the two of you are going to attack him? Ganging against one? I thought you Yato were prideful." She should have been shaking in fear, but she wasn't. She was awfully calm that it made her sick. Chiaki barely felt the thudding of her heart.

The leader was silent then he ordered his subordinate to wait outside. She smiled warmly at the enemy. "Thank you." She said. Relief was all over her face. Kageri was silent.

"Don't get in the way." He grunted at her, deeming her useless, she would be rounded with the non-fighters later. He didn't know the plans of Tadakatsu, he followed him because he seemed like the strongest. He might have been a good guy as well, but it was his end. The time he ignored her, instead he faced Kageri. She crept to the side, took her abandoned parasol and killed him. It was horribly warm, his blood as it stained her neck.

His comrade rushed in only to be shot by Kageri.

"What the hell was that?" Kageri shoved her to the backdoor. Pip was waiting for them.

"I would have died if they both attacked us." She didn't have a fighting chance.

"I thought you liked saving people." He looked back and saw flames gnawing at the interior of the clinic. He shut the door, suddenly feeling nervous to be around her. Then as if she was pained, she scrunched her brows and rubbed her torn palms in her face. Impenitence morphed into a shaky nurse who still looked at the world with slight naivety. The clinic behind them was warm with fire, but the dusky forest immediate to them was dim with cover.

There was heat in her shoulder, bleeding thickly through her clothes, down her fingers, left blood like freckles on the dead leaves near her feet. Pip was quick to inform her that her patients were safe, deep in the forest or above the trees by now. She ruffled his hair –his hat got shot off by some fucker– and told him to hide in the canopy.

"Are you going to come back and find me?" He asked. She only smiled.

"It's my turn now to ask stupid questions." She said suddenly noticing how weak she was compared to everyone else.

She faced Kageri. "How fast can you run with me on your back?"

…

**"Hello, who is this, I'm busy!"**

"Abubu-san!"

**"Who is this?!"**

"My name is Pip! Chiaki-san gave me your number Abubu-san!"

**"What do you want?"**

"Chiaki-san said that she will be at Northeast from the clinic's backdoor by the time you arrive there."

**"What in hell! What's she doing?"**

"She only said to tell this to you, and she's allergic to morphine!"

**"Huntmas Christ!"**

…

The forest was always alive. It thrived under dampness, winter, through the long nights and fleeting days. So when two idiots decided the worth of their lives one late afternoon, trees, owls, lizards and critters watched closely. They wouldn't help of course. The affairs of men were not theirs.

Chiaki was insane.

Above the village that had gone mental there was a massive limestone cliff with sparse vegetation. The height would send anyone tumbling down in a nightmarish drop. The height didn't matter, it was the slight cone shape of the wall that could have turned a whisper into a holler. A natural megaphone. A megaphone which the both of them had put to good use, not because they were crazy, but because they liked to think that when they die, the man guarding the golden gates to paradise would have _'sacrificing thy self for others because natural inclination to good deeds, thus worthy of heaven'_ scribbled under their names on his list.

Kageri cleared his throat, then:

"YO! TADAFUCKTSU! Yeah, you heard me you tosser! I damn right know you be hiding that cholo ass under yo mama's skirt in there. Why not show us some real balls and get out!" He said in an overly gangster voice, hands doing the puppet signs. Kageri somewhat had a do-rag tied around his head and his pants were pulled down to show yellow boxers with crimson dog shaped prints. "Cuz, me an' ma homie here got some serious ass whoppin' for ya, wrapped in a baby blue gift box with a girly ribbon!"

The entire village quieted down. The guards aimed their weapons at the both of them, listening.

"Kageri." Chiaki whispered, doing a face palm.

"You think you're so great! Well my momma didn't like how you all up and done her last night! Because you be so limp!"

"Kageri! The insults are supposed to be for _his mom. Not for your mom! _You're the one who is supposed to do his mom!" She whispered to her comrade.

"What?" Kageri whispered back. "But my mom looks horrible! Like witch level horrible, with a wart on her face!"

"You're not supposed to think your mom is ugly!"

"Screw this!" He threw his do-rag off the cliff.

"What do you want?" Tadakatsu was using an actual megaphone. He was standing above a water tower. Tadakatsu wasn't young; he wasn't good looking as well. He covered his one milky white eye with a monocle. There wore a dirty moustache and his armpits had sweat stains. It didn't fool the both of them though. He emanated power, not the same kind as Kamui. Its source was fear and it felt like an itch behind your neck you couldn't get rid of.

"What do we want?" Kageri smirked. "WHAT DO WE WANT?!" He paused for emphasis. "We want you down brother!"

Then Tadakatsu smiled, sending a chill down her spine, her throat, down to her toes. He watched her like she was hiding something under her clothes, like he knew what it was. He had the eyes of all cold blooded Yato, but had none of what glued her to them. Chiaki wondered why she even left the base in the first place. The battlefield never gave her comfort.

"I know you." He turned to her with eyes like Kamui, except they were lightless, raw with greed and unbending with pride. "You're _his darling._" He sang with all teeth. His hand thrust forward, the megaphone flying toward her like a bullet. She pierced it with her parasol, heard the annoying scrape of metal and sent it tumbling down the cliff-side, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She barely had time to settle her nerves when the plan was in motion. Kageri picked her up easily and dashed into the forest, half of Tadakatsu's men after them like hounds hunting foxes. It gave the settlement a fighting chance. With half of the enemy gone, they might be able to free themselves before Tadakatsu realized that slaughtering civilians was a past time of his ancestors.

...

[4:05 pm] : Shitty Boss : _You've been ignoring my calls, Kageri, if you don't answer I'll cut your pay._

[4:30 pm] : Shitty Boss : _We're near the settlement. Where are you?_

[4:32 pm] : Kageri : This is Chiaki, we're running away. Cholos are hunting us. Please don't text they'll hear us. Better yet, I'll put this to silent.

[4:33 pm] : Kageri : This is Chiaki, I didn't know you guys used phones.

[4:38 pm] : shitty VC : **The Captain ran out of text money. How can I pass him mine?**

[4:45 pm] : shitty VC : **Yes, text the boss in high speed, but nobody really cares about me, Abuto-san, heh? You young people think you're so hip! I bet I can kick your ass in any Sega Genesis game!**

[4:50 pm] : Unanswered call from shitty VC; unknown city

[4:55 pm] : Unanswered call from shitty VC; unknown city

[5:30 pm] : Unanswered call from shitty VC; unknown city

…

"I can't take it anymore." Chiaki's grip was weak, not physically strong enough to hold on to his back. She was being carried, far too slow to run anymore. She did run, but gasping for air sent her wounded shoulder bursting into searing agony that made her head spin. The horrible part was she felt her stitches rip open, felt warm blood cool as it inched down her leg, drip to the ground. The phone was drenched in her own blood, tucked safely in her obi.

His response was, "Stop complaining!" as he leaped up a dead log and tore through harsh vegetation.

It was too quiet, just the sound of her heart straining against her ribs, Kageri's harsh gulps of breath, tiny pitter patters of terrifying giant lizards following them curiously, the distant gunfire of their pursuers. Her head hurt.

"Shit, you're losing too much blood." His hands were smeared with red and maroon.

"I have a plan." She groaned, her lungs felt like lead. "Again! Look how this one is turning great!" He said, but he was smiling. It was remarkable how he didn't seem to run out of energy. _I ran the one thousand city meet when I was thirteen._ It was his reply to her earlier question. She was glad she believed him. Adrenaline was fading and she was gaining back her capacity to think –a good thing. She could only handle so much pain before she blacked out.

Kageri shifted her a little, a frown on his face. "Oi, don't black out, the Admiral's going to kill me!"

"I'm glad to know your concern for your comrade only goes to the extent of your self-preservation."

He blinked. "No shit."

"One question." Chiaki groaned when he hopped over a small stream, it felt like her arm wasn't part of her anymore. "How do those assholes keep on tracking us?" She whispered.

"Woah, you should curse more often." A giant lizard crept to close and he kicked it off. Its companions made an inhumane shriek that hurt their ears.

"My question." She pressed.

"It's your blood isn't it?" He paused. "It's a bread trail."

"Precisely." Chiaki muttered.

"Damn, if you knew all along, we should have covered that gash up." He snapped, with disgusting realization that he could have had an easier time. She kept on forcing her fingers to curl around his clothes until they ached, an indication that she was still alive.

"No. If it ends, they'll spread out and immediately kill us. They're lazy right now they think we don't know."

"And your point is?"

She was so exhausted. Her knuckles were freezing, her shoulder was burning and she knew that it was only a matter of time. That she was desperately holding on a measly thread of all things. Kageri didn't know it. She doubted Kamui will even if he was there. They were so different from her. She smiled. Yet, when they argue and hurt each other, in the end they always saw eye to eye.

It was so tiring though, wouldn't it be better just to give up?

She better not. There was still so much left to finish, so many things to tell.

"My point is you have to halt and leave me as a sitting duck."

…

[5:45 pm] : Shitty Boss : _We've arrived. The villagers had apparently taken care of everything. They're telling me how brave you are. That it was because of you that they were able to fight back. Where are you?_

[5:46 pm] : Shitty Boss : _Tadakatsu must have hightailed when his people got slaughtered. Abuto got shot in the ass, he needs medical attention._

[5:53 pm] : Shitty Boss : _Oh my, you're really trying to break my heart are you?_

…

The forest was dark enough that evading an arrow by sight was a near impossibility. The forest was dark enough that the trees were beginning to rattle in wakefulness. "We should go back." The newcomer beside Tendo pointed out. He saw it with his own eyes once, a mangled corpse get swallowed by the earth, for the trees. Night on the undergrowth was a nightmare. He didn't want to end like the corpse he saw, but the pink lady's blood was still fresh on the ground, crimson beads on dry earth.

There was nervous tension that came close to fear among them. The younger members of the group that pursued the lady and the rude young man agreed with the newcomer. They didn't like to spend the nights in there. The forests held no more terrors for the other veterans though.

"No." Tendo said sullenly, a little too tired. "We won't stop until we get them both. There's still a trail." He grunted, gesturing to the blood. They were still running.

"The trail had been going for an hour now! I haven't seen a sight of them yet!" The man behind him studied the deepening twilight anxiously.

"They'll stop eventually." Tendo was next in line if Tadakatsu died. He could crush a man's skull with one hand, he was a little slow, but it didn't deter him. "Look, the blood is fresher." He said and the others agreed. It was fresher, in pools rather than the confetti they followed.

He would soon put an end to the blabbering fools, Tendo thought. The trail was rougher, more desperate. He smiled thinly upon observing a mess of blood in broad frosty leaves –they slowed down considerably. There was an odd depression on the rotting leaves. Ha! The foul mothed lad must have left the girl behind and made a run for it. Adrenaline rolled through his body. He was excited with it, pulsating, crushing and dangerous. The sky was fading to black.

"She's nearby!" He announced gleefully. The others nodded among themselves. Tendo wondered how she'd put up a fight, the girl of that Kamui guy he heard rumors about in the pub that week. He wondered how her blood would feel in his hands.

Tendo hacked down the broad bloody leaves that led to her. He hacked, cut, sliced, triumphant after running after her like a dog!

There was a clearing and he stopped confused._ Local wildlife_, he thought. There was a giant lizard with scales like polished slabs of black glass. It hobbled weakly around dark grass, its vocals and tail cut off, leaving sticky blood on its wake. He followed the wrong bread trail.

He cursed angrily, humiliated to be fooled by petty tricks. Then the reptile wobbled madly forced its tiny legs up a tree before it slipped and fell. Tendo understood why, he was terrified as well, the trees were now awake, hungry for prey. He turned to his men –missing. He lurched only to still when a brown root held him by the ankles and dragged him below the earth.

Man eating trees: 1

Tendo: 0

* * *

It was cold and Kageri didn't have his shirt on, his mother would have been very disappointed. It was for a good cause though. Chiaki was bleeding to death, slumped on top of a wide branch with nothing but his clothes tied around her to seal her wound. She could feel her blood travel beneath her clothes to stick on the fabric of her pants –her favorite. Did people bleed that much?

Kageri was sitting on a thinner branch above her. His voice echoed numbly to her, he had called Abuto, told him their location. It seemed that the rust haired Yato was crafty. He led the pursuers into circles, _he ran in circles_. The vice-captain promised to be there in ten minutes. Too long, she thought, sleepily.

"How did you know how to catch a lizard?" Her companion crouched beside her. She grinned, teeth bright in the darkness.

"Did you actually think they ran alongside you because reptiles in nature did that?" She forced him to leave her on the ground and her intuition was correct. A particularly large one crept towards her with a flickering tongue, eyeing her as its next meal. Kageri had leaped from the trees and attacked. He injured the reptile deep enough then hit its back for it to run off.

He looked at her sheepishly. He didn't expect that the lizards were also man-eating like the trees.

"Hey, hey! Don't sleep!" He snapped his fingers, trying to fight the soul wrenching exhaustion telegraphed in all the lines of her body. Then his phone –still damp with her blood– vibrated and it was the Admiral. Chiaki forced her eyes open when she heard his voice in her ear, calm as fuck.

She held the phone with shaky hands and answered.

"Hello?"

The fatigue in her voice spared her the mocking she deserved. She should have not done stupid things.

_"There was a young __handsome__ man named Kamui who had the strength to lift boulders. Three weeks later after his mother died–"_

"Admiral? Sir? What are you talking about?" She could hear the rustling of leaves from his side of the forest.

_"Shuh. I'm continuing remember? I told you I'd finish my story when we were cozy in jail… or are you already half dead that you don't reckon." _

"Horrible timing" She smiled. "And I'm not half dead yet, if you arrive in time."

_"Always demanding aren't you? Let's skip all the boring stuff. So, one day the young handsome man went to earth and met a stupid ogre doctor who had ugly pink hair."_

"We both know that's bull." She sounded like she was crying. He ignored it. She felt tears prick her eyes.

_"The ogre doctor's name was Chiaki. As foolish and adamant she was, she was also not someone to be trifled with. She surprised the strong and handsome Kamui with her talents, her ability to help people who didn't want to be helped, her persistence to live despite the torture Kamui unwittingly set upon her."_

"Unwittingly? Ha!" But her voice cracked.

_"She was nosey too, meddled with the affairs of the Admiral, wormed her way into his chest."_

"Terrible story." Her eyes felt like lead, just like every part of her body. She was overtired and extremely pale, delirious with pain. Chiaki felt like the only person that could help prevent her from sinking into stygian sleep was only herself. She was losing. _"Then I guess you don't want to hear about him saving her when she was bleeding to death, huh?"_

Chiaki forced her eyes open out of fear more than anything, her skin a sheet of ice in the night air. Then there was a soft thud, voices she couldn't hear. She could see his flat shoes, the curve of his torso, the column of his neck, Kamui's impossibly blue eyes. The frown tugging at the corners of his mouth morphed into an ugly scowl. He looked pensive.

"Chiaki" his warm hand cupped her jaw perfectly. Kamui probably thought that human beings always slot together like right pieces of a carton puzzle, like it wasn't extraordinary.

She wanted to call his name back, perhaps to say, "Good evening Admiral" just for cheek but what went out was, _"Motherfucker!"_ because he squeezed her wound with his free hand.

"Kageri, that's how you wake someone up when they're close to dying, okay?" Kamui said to his subordinate. Kageri saluted, Abuto was still a broken man and Chiaki bit Kamui's hand –the one that touched her cheek. _"You utter, cock!"_ She spat, cheeks flushing in pain. There was an angry pulsing at her chest, she called it her breaking capacity for committing ruthless murder.

"Now, now, don't call your Admiral names." Kamui was very pleased. He was red and black and bloody all over, but that did not stop her from being rude to him. He deserved it, she thought, because he was the kind of rotten person who would poke fun at someone who was _bleeding and dying._

She never felt more alive.

Chiaki didn't think about the wet pain around her shoulders. She didn't think about how humiliating it was, for him to see her bleeding like that, how his heat crept and ebbed under her skin when he tightened her shirt. Kamui wasn't gentle. He picked her up like a tree trunk and propped her up his shoulder, as if he was carrying some sort of bloody merchandise.

"Let's carry you to safety before you end up wholly useless."

"You always know how to reassure my troubled heart." She grinned. "And I'm not useless; I'll have you know that I killed –without help! Two full grown ugly beefcakes" There was a blur of color at the side and she could see Kageri trying to bandage the hole on Abuto's ass. "Sir, your girl is fucking crazy." Kageri, being a witness tried to help.

"Very nice." He grinned at her and he darted off with her clutching his clothes as if her life defended on it, like a quick footed hare into the darkness.

* * *

**Harusame Base**

Chiaki was a light sleeper, easily awakened by the thumping of feet, a shock of a dream, a distant sound, at the shift of weight when Kamui sat at her bedside. She cracked and eye open and frowned. It wasn't the first time she woke up. There were a number of semi-consciousness hours ago. All she did was stretch for the glass of water on the dusty bedside table and sleep.

"Whose room is this?" Her voice was dry, drier than the deserts. She wanted to confirm her suspicion. Chiaki was familiar with smell and old paint in the cavernous ceiling.

He smiled tiredly and she almost pitied him. It looked like she was not there to distract the Elders this time. He must have been put through hours and hours of excruciatingly standing there in some over grand pillar surrounded by tinier ones with Elders perched like crows, all of them eyeing him like meat for the taking. He would have tried to be diplomatic, but there were scuff marks on his coat, meaning he snapped halfway through and tried to murder someone.

"Abuto would make a better Admiral than you." She whispered glumly.

He hummed and flicked her in the forehead with the strength of a hundred wildebeest.

"This is my room." With a little maneuvering, he was able to sit with his legs crossed, facing her with a mocking smile.

She attempted to suppress a grin. "No wonder it smells like feet." Because she couldn't help it, so she didn't try to dodge when he flicked her again. He had an irritated scowl on his face, mostly petty and incredibly tired. Chiaki wanted to ask how long had she been asleep, but she felt light as rain. She was still afraid though, to move around and find out that her wound already festered and had nasty sepsis. He looked like he needed someone to ask how his day went.

"What did the Elders whip your ass for?" Was it because you went off without their permission?"

"Late paperwork" His hand ran through her hair, sticky with sweat.

"Don't lie." She blinked. When it seemed like he didn't want to say anything, she pursed her lips and sighed. "Did you find Tadakatsu?"

"No. He escaped." She was disappointed, but she didn't show it.

"Alright" Chiaki's legs folded back. "Are you going to sleep or what?"

Kamui grinned widely and held up a DVD. "I stole this from Abuto's room."

"You're going to watch a movie?"

"We're going to watch a movie." He set the will in stone.

"What's the title? I can't read it. It's too dark."

"Hmm… My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."

_"Shit."_

* * *

Chief of Political relations, Abuto, watched Chiaki with a worried expression. She was locked up in Kamui's room for two weeks, recovering, ever since they got back to the Harusame. He wouldn't say he missed her company, or admit that it was her constant perseverance that made his paperwork job easier, because he believed himself as a cool and unflappable. Unfortunately, when he went to knock at the Admiral's room there was a pained sound of hers coming from the inside then she emerged, _limping._

_Limping..._

_Limping._

_She was limping._

Abuto was very afraid.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew why women limped after a night in the presence of men. They always limped after he did the deed with them, Kamui too. There was a time in the Admiral's life, a year ago before he met the nurse. He used to go with Abuto to overpriced Cabaret clubs –Kamui had a talent for it. Five minutes into the nightclub and five diamond pros would come clinging on to the red head's arms. Ten minutes into the nightclub and Kamui was already being led by the _women_ not _woman_ to the nearest motel. Abuto would drink himself to alcohol poisoning then bear the horrors of picking his superior up from the said motel whilst trying to keep a straight face from the giggling _limping_ women.

Kamui fucked his women savagely.

Abuto didn't know how to feel at that instance.

Was Chiaki even at the right age? Was she even eighteen? Past eighteen? Below eighteen? Abuto always looked at her as somewhat of a sibling –having almost thirty fellow orphans back then.

"Good morning Abuto-san." Chiaki greeted the man politely. He was breaking into cold sweat. What if she got pregnant? What if the Harusame turned into a nursery school? Abuto was always someone who took care of things. Was he expected to take care of the Admiral's children too? _Crap!_

"Are you okay?" She asked. Abuto swallowed nervously. "I've been meaning to ask you something." Chiaki said.

_"Shit!"_ Abuto thought. Here came the maternal questions he couldn't answer even if he tried to. Wait! How many months did it take for a baby until it's ready to be born? He didn't know that either. What if she asked him about cravings? What was he supposed to tell her?

"Where's Pip?" She asked. Holy Huntmas, Abuto wanted to do the sign of the reverse cross right then. Was this Kami-sama's revenge for him leaving women behind? It was worse that he expected. Her maternal instincts were kicking in. The boy had resolved to stay home. He gave Sadashi –who happily joined the crew– a letter for her. Abuto wasn't Sadashi! Abuto was Abuto!

Abuto wanted to cry. "He… He wanted to stay behind." Was she going to cry on him now?

Chiaki looked a little downcast.

Then Kamui thought it was the perfect time to burst out of his door, clad with nothing but a pair of white pants and shoes. His hair was unbraided, a rare sight. Abuto saw his bare torso, an even rarer sight.

Chiaki turned away. Abs were disgusting in her opinion.

Abuto broke into a waterfall of blizzard level sweat.

He never expected this to happen! He shouldn't have tried waking his boss in the morning! He should have forgotten his daily schedule and followed the footsteps of Aiko. Who didn't wake up until ten in the morning!

"Good morning Abuto." Kamui was polite as well, then he said. "Chiaki, come back to bed. You'll irritate your injury." Abuto's face was ugly with shock. Was it, was it not enough? Chiaki had eye bags under her eyes, darker than his cloak. They must have been on it the entire night! The energy of youngsters! Abuto was jealous, his entire face collapsed into a crunch of ugly, angry features, and it was a hilariously unflattering look for him.

"Admiral." He drawled. "Don't you feel pity for the poor nurse?" He crossed his arms.

"Finally, someone on my side." She said. She really wanted fresh air, and Kamui was a mother hen with killer instincts. Even when asleep, to be cooped up in a room for so long would turn anyone into a 180 degree crazy person. Complete with the set of knives and meat grinders.

Abuto's tiny eyes narrowed. Was he forcing himself upon her? Disgraceful!

Kamui smiled. "Don't be absurd, go back in the room, _now._"

The vice-captain snapped. "Admiral! Be ashamed of yourself. I know, _I know, _your relationship is none of my business, but if the lady doesn't want to… pardon my language Chiaki, fuck, you don't force them to!" He said with bared teeth.

It was embarrassingly silent for five minutes before Kamui had the decency to ask, "What are you talking about Abuto. Are you drunk in the morning? Did the girl in Human Resources break up with you? Have you finally gone mental?"

Abuto was confused.

"Yes, Abuto-san. Do you have a fever?" Chiaki asked.

"No, I haven't gone mental _yet. _And I don't have a fever. You peeps are the ones romping like rabbits all night here. You don't get the right to stare at me like I'm crazy."

"What gave you that idea!" Mortification flitted across Chiaki's pale face dotted with reds of embarrassment.

"You were limping!" Abuto clutched his fists. He turned to Kamui, crimson face –like a twelve year old. He pointed his robotic hand accusingly at the Admiral. "And you're missing a shirt!" Kamui had to bite his lip to keep the laughter from erupting like a volcano. Then he laughed, eyes crinkling as he sauntered and tucked her to his side, possessive. She recoiled from him like he was a plague victim. She really didn't like those tiny pockets of muscles on his tummy. They looked like kiwi. She didn't like kiwi either. Chiaki began to wriggle free from his grasp when she realized that his abs was nearing her. Utterly disgusting.

"You still haven't grown from your perverted mind Abuto." Kamui mocked him.

"Lies! Why is she limping then?"

Chiaki slapped Kamui's arm away. It was pale and gross. "He kicked me in the waist when I was sleeping. It was your fault anyway. You allowed your My Little Pony thing to be stolen from you. He was being plagued by nightmares! He was yelling Rainbowdash!" There was no mercy left for her now. They were all out to ruin her morning. She wouldn't admit though, that she liked it a little, the ponies and the magic…

Abuto was making incomprehensible sounds from the back of his throat. He wished he was a bottle of mayonnaise instead, so he wouldn't have to face these horrors.

* * *

**Kamui's office:**

Chiaki ironed the last of the Admiral's coats. She ironed his underwear as well, and his socks. The office was blindingly bright. It smelled slightly like freezing air, fresh paint and the mint of bottled ink Abuto used to sign terrifying amounts of paper. She could hear the sound of quiet enterprise coming out from the thin walls.

"Abuto-san." She looked at him from her corner. He lazily raised his eyes, they were bloodshot. He was having a horrible day, first the toilets clogged up, second Aiko purchased a cheap brand of toilet paper that had the name 'sand storm'

"You need anything?" He responded, very bored. Kamui fucked off somewhere after the vice-captain used a curtain to conjure paperwork from thin air. The book, 'How to get Anyone Interested in Anything –for eight year olds' promised that magic could distract children from underlying intentions. Thus Abuto practiced magic techniques. He was surprisingly talented. He could be the universe's greatest magician if he kept it up. But he wanted to be a lackey instead.

Kamui only replied, "Can you make them disappear again?" Then he ran off to pester Takasugi.

"I need to ask something."

"Gah! Not again." He remembered what happened that morning. The last time she needed to ask something ended up to a sad moment of him making a fool out of himself.

Chiaki pleaded. "This is important." She could not think of anyone sane enough except for Abuto.

Abuto whined. Nothing could be worse than what happened in the morning anyway. "Shoot." He said.

Chiaki spun uneasily. According to the book, 'How not become a Sociopath. –be normal' stated that when there are problems that seem to be bugging you. Talk about it to friends who would understand. It was written that your friends may try to act all aloof and shit, but in reality. _They're just like you_.

"Does the Admiral really like me? Or does he see me as a potential sex object… I don't think I'm even pretty enough to be that kind of an object… Can I have your honest opinion on this?"

Abuto's reply was. "Do I look like a friend to be all buddy-buddy with?" He was red on the edges. "Go talk to your fellow species." He was slowly turning into a pomegranate in the weight of her judging glare. Perhaps it was the worst thing to say –it was his defense mechanism! Because she said, "I hope your paintbrush fucks up and create smudges that are shaped like little dicks on every paper you sign." Then she flipped him the bird angrily, even with a hurting shoulder. She managed to be four times more annoying than Kamui because she made flow charts of their disagreements and had a memory of an elephant.

**Kiheitai:**

Takasugi was standing silently, facing a glass window that had a marvelous view of a bunch of random galaxies. There was pipe in his hand with marijuana in it, sort of. Tobacco doesn't work for him anymore, it didn't taste like anything. He was staring at nothing in particular, because he was a lazy bastard. So he was being ignored by the two women.

Behind Takasugi were Chiaki and Kijima Matako.

"So." Kijima wriggled her eyebrows. "You guys kissed already huh?" _But I bet Shinsuke-sama is a better kisser._

"Yes." Chiaki nodded. "But I have no idea why he did that. He's treating me so nicely that I'm worried about him." There was a glass of milk beside her. Kijima had beer. Chiaki didn't drink beer.

"Why." Kijima leaned back, her manicured fingers tracing the rim of her glass, frown tugging the corners of her mouth. She was enjoying her time with the nurse.

"_Because_." She hit her head on the table comically. Then Chiaki slouched, knuckles going white as she clutched her umbrella –a must when heading out. She felt something come loose in her chest. Her eyebrows knit together in the middle, where her worries sat and sang at night when she needed sleep the most. "I'm very worried about him. I don't see it now… but I feel like I'm going to be some sort of distraction to him." Her voice became shaky. "He's going down a dark path –he likes it. If I'm going to stay around, I might veer him off course."

The blonde pressed her lips together. "Why the hell not?" She asked. "You know it's a nasty place he's going. Why not lead him somewhere less miserable."

Chiaki blinked the worry out of her eyes. "Matako-san, why do you follow Takasugi-san?"

"Because he's the greatest!"

"No. Why do you not try to change him? He's batshit evil –I mean amazingly cunning and majestically dangerous. Why do you allow him to do as he pleases when you know that path leads to loneliness?"

Kijima fiddled with her hair, her eyes dropped. Her smile, which was teasing was mostly sad by now.

The one who answered was Takasugi. "Nurse, you have to remember that all changes, even when for the better, have its melancholy, for if I change now, I would have to destroy a part of myself, I have to kill who I really am before I can be 'better' individual. The sins I have done cannot be reversed even by death." The quiet was profound and their blank shock melted into awe. Takasugi smirked, his back was facing them. The man who wanted to burn the world twisted to his side with a chilling smile. His eye widened and he said in a voice resembling Henpeita too much: "Now that we all agree with each other, let's all become hand in hand and destroy The Great Edo Ordinance Regarding the Healthy Development of Youths!" He held out a clipboard with blank signature lines.

The megaphone with the funny looking hair and bandage imitation of Takasugi was shot to pieces, including the clipboard and Henpeita himself.

"I'm sorry about that." Kijima shot Henpeita twice more.

"No problem. I know what to do now." Chiaki said, drinking the last of her milk.

"Really?" The blonde smiled. "That's great."

"If you have any problems, feel free to reach out. I'll be here to listen." Her smile was unforced, pooling out like a bubbling stream.

"Hm. Shinsuke-sama would never give me problems. Because he's Shinsuke-sama!"

"Yes. Right."

The heavy double doors to their right jerked open and Kamui skittered in, ruining the carpet with bloody shoe stains. He looked panicked, like he was running away from something again. Chiaki would know, because his twitching tuft of antenna like hair was stiff as a needle. "Ah." He remarked and put his arm around her shoulders. Kijima gave her a thumb up. "What are you doing?" Chiaki whispered.

"Patience, patience." Kamui leaned closer to her, as if to whisper something. "What are you running away from now?" She asked.

"It's Aiko." He brushed a short kiss over her temple. She shifted a little, obviously embarrassed by Kijima's annoying motions of puckering her lips, teasing her. "The book has been released." He commented with focus.

"Romance in the Galaxies?" She said in disbelief. Kamui grinned.

"It's a bestseller."

"Holy Roman empire."

There was a concussive thud of hurried feet from outside the door. She could hear a cacophony of sounds she was entirely familiar to. Roughly five years ago, Otsu a famous singer released a catchy song, Legs Spreading like Mayo. She had a concert near Chiaki's dormitory and the deafening noise of fans were something not easily forgotten._ "Kamui-sama!" "Kamui-sama" "Kamui-sama!" "Please sign my copy!"_

The last one sounded suspiciously like Kageri, whom she hasn't talked to yet.

"I want you to distract them while I run away." Kamui ruffled her hair.

She wanted to yell that she just got out from an exhausting girl talk, that she was a crosshatch of stitches in her, that Abuto wouldn't save her this time because he was still in the office trying to figure out how to remove dick stains from revenue papers and he wanted her to _distract them? _She did and she looked completely bonkers screaming at him like that.

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"We still distract them, but I'm not putting my ass out there." Kijima was already unscrewing the entrance to a conveniently large air vent, for escape.

Chiaki was desperate, so she stripped the unconscious Henpeita and left his naked body shamefully in the middle of the room. "We improvise." She yelled, tugging Kamui roughly to the vents. He grinned at her, for having the capacity to be amazing and has she always looked this beautiful? He poked her cheek for kicks and giggles, watched how she snapped, dimples, strawberry pink hair and so many sharp and perfect lines.

_God yes._


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen:**

Chiaki hobbled to the next restroom with a mop on her right hand and a plunger on her left with a smelly cockroach infested bucket hanging from its end. She didn't want to take chances either. She was clad head to toe with Personal Protective Equipment, a watermelon helmet –an actual helmet that looked like a melon–, industrial gloves, three surgical masks, knee high Wellington boots and an apron around her torso. She looked like she came fresh from the mental hospital, but it was required if she wanted to survive the day.

The nurse immediately took a clipboard and a pen. The paper inside looked like this:

…

**Harusame Sanitation Order; 123 456; Checklist no 123 457**

_Honesty is the best policy!_

Restrooms: Male; Harusame base; Admiral's Private Army; Second floor

Does it smell? Yes or No

(Chiaki could hardly breathe on her nose, breathing with her mouth was not at option since she could almost taste the piss cakes on the urinals. She encircled no.)

Are the garbage cans clean and empty? Yes or No

(God, she couldn't see the garbage can under all the suspiciously stained tissue paper and even more suspiciously looking curly balls of hair littered in the corner. She encircled Yes.)

Are the toilets stainless and sanitary? Yes or No

(The nurse couldn't even open one of the available cubicles. The first toilet had a sleeping drunk with his face on the bowl. The second toilet was clogged up to the brim with suspicious reddish brown mosaics. The last one had a family consisted of four little rats and a fat mother rat with rabies and red eyes living in the bowl. She encircled Yes.)

Are the tiles neat and polished? Yes or No

(Tiles? What tiles? All she could see was the remnants of once expensively cut tiles. Those plastered on the walls were nothing more than sad and pathetic whites all in sharp dangerous angles. Oh! Look a hive full of roaches! She encircled Yes.)

Are there any vandalisms, Yes or No

(**Yato Clan 5-ever! **and** Call me 666-6969 (Hot sexy male in his forties, brown hair and goatee) **were not vandalisms. They were a show of devotion to the Yato clan… er, maybe the first one. And the exaggerated dick drawings on the wall were works of art, look at the detail on those testicles. Besides, Kamui owned the place. He was basically Hitler, a communist pro man. Remember what Karl Marx said? Share your resources so whatever Kamui owned, his army owned. She encircled No.)

Are there vandalisms of titties? Yes or No

(Chiaki's face twisted into a frown. She observed the roughly drawn circles on the cubicle door, two large ones and two smaller ones in the middle. Those were artfully drawn circles of the moon of the Yato planet, she reasoned, because the Yato hate the sun, such increases their devotion of drawing the moons. Chiaki encircled No)

Are there shit smears on the wall? Yes or No

(Those smears were most likely chocolate. She encircled No)

Is there shit on the floor? Yes or No.

(Chiaki looked down. There was a pile of shit on the floor. Unfortunately, if she made the checklist too perfect, then the bigwigs will definitely find out. She circled Yes. The main reason she wasn't being true to herself was because she was a liar and if she wrote that everything was perfect then she didn't need to really clean the toilets. Aiko said that only the really desperate ones who needed to go right away used the latrines. Nobody bothered checking if the list passed.)

…

"Alright." She grimaced and threw the clipboard on a bucket. "Time to clean this place up."

When Kamui first announced at the canteen, "Chiaki will be doing toilet duty tomorrow, Konbu, yours will be on another day." Konbu cried with tears of joy and began kissing the Admiral's feet. That wasn't what made her feel suspicious though. It was the looks of pity and wretched shaking of heads that put fear into her tiny heart. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Sir. What's toilet duty?" She asked with the air of a soldier going into a losing war.

"You have to clean and do the paperwork of all the latrines in the main base."

Chiaki swallowed nervously, something wasn't sitting right with her, and it wasn't the bloodstains on Kamui's utensils, no. "What did I do to deserve such a harsh punishment, sir?" Her lips fell into a small frown. Kamui was unfazed.

He stabbed a roast duck with a bloody, rusty fork and tore of its leg with his teeth. "Well, for one, you disobeyed my orders back at Nexus."

_"Crap, I thought he already forgot about that one."_ She cringed. He basically implied her to stay put, get captured by Tadakatsu and be rescued princess style. Hell no, she thought before. If she allowed him to rescue her princess style, then her awesome reputation of being awesome would do down the latrines. Not that she had much reputation in the first place. Also, she wouldn't be able to protest as much as she could if he wanted something from her. She knew he would use the,_ I rescued you from the slimy arms of death last time, why can't you do this tiny thing for me?_ Well… He _did_ save her from bleeding to death, but it was better compared to a situation where she was being put together with dozens of hostages while he whopped ass on her behalf. She _rescued_ a village by giving them a fighting chance. Besides, Abuto could have saved her from bleeding to death too. It could have been the old man. So she didn't regret shit.

"Two." Kamui continued. "You lied to Kageri and told him you got promoted, leading him to follow you around like an idiot. You will never be promoted in a million years." The Admiral wanted to say this, but Kageri piped in and what Chiaki heard was: "You lied to me, _me_, Kageri the hotness, (cue bicep kissing) you told me you got promoted, which will never happen in a gajillion years because you are a loser. Heh, hey Admiral, did I get it?" he asked hopefully to Kamui.

Kamui threw the saucy duck at his _'hot'_ face. Kageri screamed, "Not my face!" then fell down the ground screaming. He should have expected it, nobody interrupts The Kamui.

Chiaki grimaced. "Well, _shit."_

Well, shit indeed, because everything smelled like shit. The nurse threw up beside the pile of crap. She frowned. This had to be the worst of all punishments. Kamui never did things half-assed. But Chiaki needed to do _something_ if she left the restroom of death early, people outside would get suspicious.

Chiaki took a bottle of contraband toilet cleaning acid –contraband because out of school kids who wanted to act like gangsters figured out a way to use it as drugs. They practically drank it for its hallucinatory effects. She poured the acid on the pile of excrement and watched it dissolve and turn into mere shit stains on tiles. Chiaki grinned and poured the acid randomly, all over suspicious brown stuff and yellow stuff on the urinals.

Next, she took the plunger and slammed it down to the drunken man's bald head. She lifted it up. The rubber end stuck nicely on his head. Chiaki pulled his face off the vomit mosaicked bowl and happily dragged his body out of the restroom. Not after she used his cloak as a mop. She couldn't help it.

Then half-way into unclogging the abovementioned bowl, two motherfuckers sauntered in like they owned the place.

The larger one could successfully work in the circus under the name 'Ball-man, The Living Ball.' The other plainer one had an ugly babushka tied around his greasy hair.

Ball-man, who was undaunted by the stench of the privy leaned in the door of the cubicle with a goatish smile. There were a few dozen rings on his fingers. "Hi, we heard at the canteen that you would be cleaning our toilets, so we thought it would be best to keep you company." The thing is, Chiaki wouldn't give a rat's ass about their said 'company.' The fat one was blocking the cubicle entrance. She was trapped. Two weeks on getting jumped at by the fan boys of 'Romance in the Galaxies' sharpened her mental skills of avoiding a number of Kamui's salacious crew and Henpeita.

"Wow, how thoughtful of you. How many latrines did you check first before finding me here?" She could smell their desperation. She could also smell the stench of age old crap, but that was pushed aside for the time being.

Ball-man leaned in closer. He grinned and slowly removed the pile of surgical masks covering her face. He could hear his friend say something softly at the back –probably perverted. He crumpled the masks and revealed her smiling wickedly at him.

"Wha-"

Too slow, because Chiaki took the plunger and stuck it into his face. Even before ball-man could yell, she already kicked him off the entrance, making way to the one with the babushka. He screamed in fear when she leaped, twisted into the air and broke his nose with her foot. He stepped back in shock and she hurled the cockroach infested bucket at him. It spun in the air, sending roaches in all directions, when finally it smacked into his face. He fell down unconscious.

Ball-man tore off the smelly plunger from his face and raced impetuously to her. Then the cubicle that Chiaki couldn't unlock opened! The door hit his body in the speed of a truck in highway. She saw Ball-man stumble back, teeth flying. He rolled like a ball and slammed unconsciously into the trash bin.

Abuto emerged out of the cubicle tiredly. He was digging his nose for boogers. His pants were down, but thankfully, his shirt was long enough to cover to his privates. Abuto observed babushka, there were roaches running around his body. He looked at Chiaki monotonously and shut the door again to continue on his private business. Now that she knew that Abuto was there, she understood where the constant smell of crap came from, and why were there mysteriously stomach growling sounds.

Chiaki snapped.

"Abuto-san! Flush that! It stinks!"

There was a grumble. "I can't. It's clogged!"

"I am not going to unclog that!" She smacked the cubicle door with her fist.

"Fine!" Abuto said irately.

Chiaki wasn't the only one cheesed off. _"Fine." _She said back.

The nurse dragged the two unconscious men into a cubicle, tied the both of them with Saran wrap and locked the flimsy door from the outside. She then hastily shoved all the garbage on the floor to a larger waste bin outside. The roach bucket was thrown with the trash as well, as long as the rag she used to clean a mirror with the vandalism:** 'Abuto is so hot!' **written in thick familiar letters that she could have sworn belonged to Abuto himself.

The vice-captain kicked the cubicle door open with a triumphant smile.

"Where should I throw the trash sir?"

"You mean the two losers from earlier?"

"No, this trash." She led him to the waste bin outside. His face twisted into a disfiguring repulsion before he threw up all over the floor. The nurse merely squeezed the last of the acid on Abuto's barf mosaic.

"What the hell is that?" He pointed dramatically at the pile of used tissue and empty bottles of Pocari.

"That, sir, is the filth of humanity…. I mean the filth of the Yato since you guys aren't… _You get the point!_"

"Let's dump it on one of the escape pods and pretend it doesn't exist." Abuto rubbed his chin. Chiaki asked if he washed his hands, which he responded by whacking her in the head. The larger portion of the blow was absorbed by her watermelon helmet. She grinned. _I'm so smart…_

* * *

Abuto locked the office door and forced teamwork among his comrades. Kamui, Abuto and Chiaki would drill down through geologic layers of two months' worth of self-reproducing paperwork or die trying. The notion was originally rejected by Kamui, who pulled rank on his vice-captain (who still wasn't the _vice-admiral_) twice in lieu of running around the base to spread anarchy among the masses. Chiaki said she needed to go pee. Abuto gave her a bucket. She threw the said bucket at him.

"I don't understand why I still need to do paperwork when I've been the one doing your taxes since last month!" Chiaki's hands were blotted with blue ink. She was making two copies of a tax issue. Damn Kamui and his lack of sense of responsibility! They had a fully automated umbrella polisher in every office but there was no copy machine. All paperwork was done_ manually._

"_I_ also did taxes." Abuto grumbled. "Besides, you were too honest with the last one. You should have cheated a little. We could have saved thousands of dough!"

"Dough? Stop trying to act like you're hip and trendy!" Chiaki yelled back.

"Children, children, calm down." Kamui's feet were up the table. He was sloughing through various damage complaints. The actual core of effective piracy was asinine paperwork, boring meetings with greedy old men, common sense and extensive knowledge of tax evasion, war tactics and bone breaking hip-hop skills to make the rest of the lower grade pirates like you. Of course, Kamui left hip-hop to Abuto, who was yet to do a drill press.

Chiaki sneered and Abuto smashed an ink bottle with his fist. Sometimes… sometimes they didn't know why they followed the idiot around.

"I hope you can calm down with this!" She pulled a specialty paper with serious looking text from beneath her mountain of paperwork. The title was in big bold letters: **Damage Fines, Tenth Division Destruction of Property: Main Building: 80, 000 Dollars**. Abuto wheezed at the idea of letting go money.

Kamui raised an eyebrow and proudly flashed:** Damage Fines, Elder's Hall: Destruction of Property: Over the Top Furnished Private Bathroom, Seven Horses, Clogging of Toilets: 146, 055 Dollars. **Abuto was crying. He hit his head twice on the table before a paper flew out of his own pile. The tile was: **Damage Fines, Harusame Showers: Destruction of Property: Clogging of Toilets with Mysterious Curly Stuff that Resembles Pubes: 300, 000 Dollars.**

Instead of screaming, 'What were you doing clogging the pipes with your pubes!' to Kamui. Chiaki sighed and continued copying the tax issue.

"By the way, Chiaki, do you have anything to do with this?" Kamui lifted up Harusame Daily, a newspaper with the headlines of: **Escape Pod Exploded in Space –Health hazard mosaics are found scattered around the Harusame base windows. Please approach mosaics with caution.**

Chiaki stared at the newspaper blankly. Other headings were: Skin peeling pruritus epidemic at second division, Harusame Bestseller Romance in the Galaxies reached 4,000,000 dollars net income and having a pet increases sexual appeal for middle aged men.

"Nope. Why do you think I have something to do with that?" She said casually. Three seconds passed and she cracked from the pressure. "It was all Abuto-san! It was his plan to throw crap into space!"

Abuto rose from his seat, leaves of paperwork flew in abundance. He yelled a bunch of profanity.

Kamui stopped it with a raise of a palm. "Sometimes the both of you remind me of a married couple." He remarked.

"The mental images!" Chiaki cried and it was the end of their constant bickering.

* * *

Abuto adopted a dog. He wanted to name it Sparky. Unfortunately, since Kamui outranked the vice-captain he felt the need to sabotage the older man's decisions. After two hours of a Greek tragedy worth of drama they both came to a conclusion that the Shiba Inu should be named Abudog.

* * *

_Thrones were made for kings, and right now, Kamui really felt like the pirate king. He sat on his obsidian and emerald throne with a plate of minced beef wrapped in fried noodles. It was ignored at the moment. He sat with his legs partly open and his mouth almost hanging loose._

_Chiaki was wearing a confusion of excessively sexy lingerie. She leaned in close with a whip on her hand. Kamui grinned._

_"You have been a naughty, naughty boy." _

_"I have?" he inquired, leaning back as she sauntered a step and knelt at his lap. _

_"Yes. And now I have to punish you for it." Oh man, he liked where this was going. No amount of waking up would pull him from this dream._

Then Chiaki just had to roll to her back and smack him in the face with her arm. Kamui jumped up from his bedside. It was three in the morning, after a yesterday's fiasco with the unfinished paperwork –which was already done by eleven in the evening. The nurse forgot to protest to sleep in her cabinet and dived under the sheets. Kamui was beginning to get tired of her telling him to transfer her to the cupboard. It wasn't comfortable. He couldn't understand why she didn't prefer to sleep at his side when they already agreed to be in a relationship –sort of.

The nurse had never seen her parents kiss, but they never walked without leaning against each other. She felt slightly awkward to be with the Admiral. It felt nice, but the strangeness of it all was what made her uncomfortable in her own skin. She never told him this, but that wasn't the point. The point was she had unknowingly dragged him out from a very sexy dream.

Kamui growled and flipped her hand off his arm. He didn't mean for it to be done in strength, but she flew off the bed anyway.

Chiaki crawled up from the floor. Drool stuck her pink hair into her cheek like glue. Her eyes were squinting. "Did I wake you up?" She asked innocently. "Sorry if I did." She yawned, waiting for his approval for her to climb back to bed. She didn't mind if he decided to be a prick and hogged all the space. She could sleep anywhere, under the bed, in cupboards, half buried in dirt…

The Admiral couldn't get mad at her. He would take revenge when she least expect it. "No." He patted her side of the massive bed and watched her wipe the drool of her face.

"Okay." Chiaki said, too early for retorts. She plops herself under the heavy blankets and felt her limbs go heavy with persistent exhaustion clinging onto her bones. Her shoulder was mostly healed by now, but it hurt really badly when he shoved her off. She didn't mind. Chiaki rolled to his side. He was still, but wide awake, judging from the bastard smile plastered into his face.

"You didn't have to do that." Chiaki whispered from under the sheets.

"Push you off the bed?"

"No." It was too dark to see each other perfectly, but even when his eyes were lazily in slants he could make out the washed-out copper of hers. "You named the vice-captain's dog with a horrible name." She crammed herself lower into the blankets, where warmth was abundant. Her legs were folded away from Kamui. The man had ice cold feet and always found it hilarious when he stuck it to her stomach and back.

"Sparky is reserved for generic mutts, Abudog is pure art." He lectured her.

"It's a pun, _you hate puns remember?_"

"Punny you should mention that." He stretched his limbs, no longer tired.

"Ha, ha." He looked down and almost laughed when he realized that by this time, only a nest of hair was out in plain sight. The rest of her was hidden in the comfort of his blanket, which she hogged by the way. "I saw you read the _Become Witty with Puns _book back at office, why do you have it anyway?" Her sentence died away for geologic eons before it exploded into a destructive moment of realization. She sat up from her bed, ignored the stinging in the shoulder in lieu of pointing an accusing finger at him.

_"You!"_ Chiaki yelled. "You can read!" She had been tricked, _fooled_ by his practiced looks of dim-wittedness. There was a silent creeping knowledge in her that the Admiral had always been a jaw-dropping genius. But he pretended not to, all those months of her thinking that he couldn't _read._ Chiaki searched back in memory, Abuto mentioned something about him only knowing the basics. He asked her how to read several words back at his waterlogged planet when she was writing in the mud with sticks. He manipulated her quietly for her to do his work.

The nurse was beginning to develop the chronic eye twitch syndrome. Kamui simply nodded and said that yes, he could read. She balanced her chances, picking a fight with him would end up with two broken fingers. Ignoring it and raising her suspicion of everything that came out from his mouth would end up with two non-broken fingers.

She huffed and went back to sleep.

The Admiral frowned –he expected something amusing from her. He turned slowly to her direction and made himself comfortable with the triangle ends of the blankets she didn't bundle to herself. She was very warm so he edged closer to her drooling form. When their bodies fit like pieces of a puzzle, he smirked and willed himself to sleep.

Chiaki shifted. She shifted again. She shifted once more and opened her eyes to meet his questioningly impatient ones –he woke up at the second shift. "Sir." Chiaki said, he was about to swat her for not calling him by his first name when she opened her mouth to ask a peculiar question.

"Do you fucking sleep with your weapons on the bed?" Her voice cracked.

Kamui raised an eyebrow. Then… oh_… oh…_

Chiaki felt something hard sticking at her thigh.

The Admiral of the Harusame felt shame flit at his sheepish face. "Go to sleep, Chiaki, I'll take care of that." She hummed and scooted to the edge a little. Kamui needed an ice bath.

When it was five in the morning, Chiaki was in the kitchen drowning her third cup of coffee.

"O ha yoo~!" Aiko was wearing his Bulgari flora shades, tight leather pants and his neon green Mohawk was shaped like a fluffy butterfly.

Chiaki sipped her coffee.

"I said, O haaa yooooo~!" He tittered then propped himself like a French painting at the shiny countertop. His head was supported by a beefy shoulder, lying sideways on the cold marble.

Kamui was raiding the fridge right behind Aiko. So far, he had found a cabbage, three apples, box of lemons and half a bottle of mayonnaise. He took a lemon and shut the door, disappointed. The Admiral observed Aiko.

"I said _O HA YO YOU MOTHERFU–_" The lemon found its way in Aiko's mouth. He choked and in an attempt to remove the fruit, he bit it and cried when explicit sourness that caused millions of cheek injuries made its way to his sensitive taste buds. He wanted to say, "Admiral! You're here!" But what came out was "Ahmuiwal AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH Youwe Hewwwweee! AAAAAHHHHHH!"

It was an average morning in the Harusame Base.

"Mou~ I don't know why you had to do that sir." Aiko gingerly placed a stacked of steaming waffles in front of Kamui. He then poured a generous amount of syrup. Kamui munched on the food happily. "Chiaki wanted to hit your face with her mug. It would have ruined your make-up." Before Aiko could screech and decide to smear his face with another cake of trendy make up from his expensive magazines. Kamui opened his mouth and said, "Then you would have to nag and nag and nag, be like Abuto in every aspect, except gayer with fat hips." The abused lieutenant immediately sulked, because to be compared to Abuto would break any woman's heart, and self-esteem. His hips weren't _fat_, they were voluptuous!

Aiko huffed, whispered something that sounded like '_Ungrateful bastards, I sold millions of copies of Romance in the Galaxies and donated half for our funding, I could have bought a diamond studded chariot!'_

"Here, the both of you deserve this." He slid two thick pocketbooks to the pair. It was entirely purple, with Aiko's picture at the back. Chiaki was suspicious. She knew it would do more harm than good to touch the novels that were the sole reason that her life was being constantly ruined by raging fans and their desire to get their books signed. It was okay at first, taking pictures with random strangers. But when the said strangers began coming to her, telling her how awfully brave and heroic she was on all their exploits, how she slashed and burned enemies by the throng. _How she seduced the Admiral with her sexual prowess…_

Chiaki flipped the book and she almost had her oculars barbequed by the neon cover. Obviously, _obviously_ there was a slight miscalculation of what they actually looked like. The Admiral was decidedly _shirtless and practically steaming hot_ looking at the galactic background with starry eyes. Chiaki clung to the Admiral like a leech. Her leg wrapped around his waist like how a boa constrictor would in a dishy nurse costume. Abuto was in the background, he had a rather prominent butt chin and Aiko… well Aiko was flexing his Gluteus Maximus in the lower corner.

The nurse opened the book and the first sentence she read was:

_"I command thee to do my bidding! Mongrel of Mephistopheles! Do thy paperwork or punishment it is!" Chiaki whips Abuto into submission with her fist of justice._

Chiaki gagged a little. She skipped a few pages and blanched.

_"No puny mortal has caught my heart as you have did, Chiaki." Kamui says passionately. Chiaki sees his mighty chest hairs from where she stands, curly from the heat of his manliness. The nurse steps down from the patio, wind blowing her hair like a hairdryer. _

_"As of I." Chiaki replies, then they kiss and kiss until the sun is no longer in the sky._

Kamui's book was thrown out of the kitchen. Two minutes later, three middle aged Yato would simultaneously find it sitting on the ground and fight for the ownership of the abandoned book. Chiaki merely cleared her throat and inserted the novel where it fit at her breast pocket. The book was hilarious, she concluded. She needed further research as to why it was a bestseller. It wasn't pleasure reading in the dark she would do that night, it was _research_.

The Admiral's fingers were furiously tangled into Aiko's vibrant Mohawk. Kamui surpassed the vilest charges of domestic violence, because the kitchen was an utter mess when he was done with the lieutenant. Except the said lieutenant was tittering like a maniac, obviously enjoying the psychopathic beatings the Admiral was giving him. Chiaki had grown wise enough to know that stopping the Admiral was a futile effort. Finally, when the fridge and the cupboards had imprints of Aiko's beaten body, Kamui told him to leave his sight in three seconds or else his pay will be cut in half. It said two things about the Admiral, one that he was bonkers, and two that he actually gave a flying shit about his subordinates to just roughen them up a little than to _kill_ them when they screw up.

Aiko used to first two seconds to tell Chiaki to wait for him at two in the afternoon because they were going shopping and the last one was spent to run like a bat out of hell.

Chiaki watched Kamui eat eighteen of the waffles in one breath before she rubbed her finger against his hand and told him she had business to do that day and she wouldn't be able to follow him around. The Admiral raised an eyebrow. "What business?" His mouth was stock full of the waffles.

She grumbled. "Flesh eating pruritus at the second division. It would be a waste to pass an opportunity to observe people dying of itch. It's like a nerdy medical science porno dream of porn." She peeled herself from the kitchen table, off the squeaky chairs and his bruised fingers clamped at her sleeve, stopping her from running off like always.

Kamui inhaled the last of the waffles and announced. "I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not." She decided. There would be no justice in the world if the _Admiral_ –not the Captain of the seventh division anymore– decided that flesh eating pruritus was disgusting and ordered an execution of everybody who was infected. She would not risk another bout of angry shouting before he flipped her off and killed them himself.

"Don't give me that look. I'm just… going to try my hand at a new hobby."

Chiaki would have laughed like an idiot if she wasn't so serious. "If you want a hobby, you can go finish the Damage Assessment Report Takasugi-san sent you last night. Then maybe I'll let you tag along."

"Since when did you wear the pants in this relationship?" His fingers tapped his chin lightly.

"First of all, I like skirts better than pants, so it's you. But this matter is beyond us being together and I would like to keep my job as far as I can from our… relationship." Her smile was slowly slipping out of her face, giving way to grimace. Kamui was being difficult.

"Come on, hanging out with me will rid you all of your responsibility–"

"And become a MADAO? No way." She said petulantly.

"Chiaki." He warned her, eyes darker and more threatening. She also knew he was prone to intimidating people when he wanted things from them.

"No! I'm going to be useful. _You_ are going to be useful. I'm going to do my job, _alone_ and you are going to finish your job as well. I will rid this rat hole of diseases and you will attend all your meetings and maybe unclog your private toilet bowl…"

"You took a dump in my toilet?" Kamui asked.

"No." Chiaki said, "I was trying to potty train Abudog, wouldn't want the puppy to ruin your bloodstained carpets when you have the Elders relentlessly critiquing your performance as the Admiral right?"

Kamui sighed and pressed his palms against his eyes.

"Tonight at seven." He said. "Meet me outside the third terminal."

"The one with the weasel infestation or the other one where the fourth division raise their galactic chickens?" Chiaki's pleasant mood was back.

"Weasel infestation."

"Should I bring chicken rice?" She slid the watermelon helmet from the seat beside her and fastened it. Her white messenger bag was filled to the brim with the basic medical supplies. Her hairpin was knotted in her hair like the twisting part of a vice. Kamui yawned lazily and she kissed him in the cheek as a thank you for not starting an argument. He stared at her like she had grown chest hair and man parts.

"I have no idea why I like you." Kamui grinned at her and she waved him off.

* * *

Even if the nurse wasn't grinning like a fool she was driving at full speed to hell when she marched off to the medical center at the second division, because Yato had an effective network of gossip dispersion via text messaging and Abuto's secret group of tittle-tattle retrieval specialists.

"You kissed the Admiral." Kageri poked his head through the base entrance of the second division. He was greeted with a large office room with a ticked off Chiaki and a green old man with horns and glasses. The nurse looked back and frowned. "Not the time, Kageri."

"What seems to be the prob?"

"This girl is the 'prob'" The green old man adjusted his glasses. "She claims to be a nurse from the Main Division but I don't see any nurse registered on the Admiral's employees."

Chiaki cursed under her breath. She should have allowed Kamui to tag along after all.

"Easy solution for that" Kageri said gleeful. Then he fired his weapon multiple times around the old man from accounting until he lost bowel movement and allowed Chiaki to enter the second division.

"_You kissed the Admiral._" He repeated and Chiaki reminded herself as of why she hasn't murdered any of the crew yet.

"How can you possibly know that when it happened ten minutes ago in the kitchen where there was only the two of us?" She quickly hid to the side when she saw a uniformed pirate pass holding a hardbound copy of Aiko's destructive book.

"Well, Sadashi-san was working part time at the CCTVs, Saburo-kun gave him coffee, Saburo-kun saw the scene, Saburo-kun texted it to all two hundred of his friends, including me and I told it to you." He grinned like a real pirate. Because they had no sense of privacy, Chiaki opened her phone –she bought at a discount store. She texted Kamui.

[7:46 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : _Do you have surveillance cameras installed in your room?_

[7:57 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _You want them removed?_

[7:58 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : _Making out is postponed until further notice._

[8:06 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _Even if I brush my teeth?_

[8:07 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : _I hardly think the thickness of your plaque is the concern here._

The nurse spent the most of her time doing PowerPoint presentations of proper hand washing techniques, proper face washing techniques, proper hair washing techniques and proper washing of the genitals. In which Kageri giggled like a schoolboy while pointing at the mildly disturbing pictures of nasty looking junk. She was in a large meeting room half filled with human like aliens, aliens who were fans of the book and a variety of species that didn't look like human at all.

Chiaki didn't know yet the cause of wide-spread itch in the second division, but it seemed to her that their knowledge of hygiene was poor.

"Sugiyama-san! My butt has been inflamed since yesterday, what should I do?"

"Please refer that question to my assistant Kageri-san."

Kageri drank his beer. "I know you wankers like to use toilet paper, but for Huntmas' sake, use water. _Water with soap!_"

The room erupted into cheers of how much of a genius he was.

"Sugiyama-sama! I heard that Romance in the Galaxies is going to be a trilogy. What to do you feel about that?"

"Please refer that question to Aiko-san, who is blatantly disguising himself as a hipster, in hopes of escaping the fashion police."

"Mou~ I'm not a hipster. This is stylish!"

"Right." Chiaki nipped to the edge of the platform. "For those who have any other questions or further problems after this, please feel free to look for me at the Admiral's HR Department, I will assist you as much as I can." She opened a cardboard box and began handing out antipruritic drugs for the itching. She informed them to kindly tell her if other symptoms began popping up. Chiaki wasn't very well acquainted with intergalactic diseases. The least she could do was to give relief since she could almost sense an uprising if nobody did anything. Just to be sure she was saying, "Here, Vote Kamui for the next elections."

Maybe it would help increase his popularity that way; they didn't need to spend more money on bribes if a recall election burst out of nowhere.

[11:07 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _You are being an embarrassment to the Yato. We don't have elections. We battle for the strongest until one truly stands above the others as a victor._

[11:08 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : Oops, it seems like I already gave all my fucks to Abudog today.

[11:15 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _I will remember that. Takasugi is missing again. Meeting is cancelled. Bored._

[11:18 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : Tell him that he's such a man of vision. That he has been an eye opener of what responsibilities a boss may have, so he should keep an eye out for himself because many would soon be begging to be his pupils if he kept hiding at blind spots at important meetings.

[11:23 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _Can you be any cornea?_

[11:24 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _I'm having lunch. You wanna come? _

[11:25 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : Can't. There has been shooting at the fourth division. Someone got shot in the leg, text you later.

* * *

She ended up coaxing Aiko to give up a portion of tomorrow's breakfast –chicken rice. Pack it inside her back to keep out the cold while she clambered up a fifty foot rust ladder to their meeting place. It was an unreasonable freezing evening at the base and the air was familiar with corrosion and grease. Chiaki climbed up halfway through the ladder, she saw the gaping hole of space above her where millions and millions of stars were held together with the pull of gravity.

She imagined herself in the middle of a tissue roll, the cardboard middle. She was midway. Up waited the impatient Admiral along with shit view of the vast universe, down was the rusty ground. If she fell and survived, she would likely absorb the tetanus lurking on the floor and die anyway.

Whether or not Kamui cared, she found that fifty feet ladders were fucking terrifying.

"Coward!" Kamui yelled helpfully from where he was perched on top. Chiaki looked up to him, wind was whipping across his cheek, tangling his fringes. He looked magnificent. She briefly wondered if that was what she overheard the girls were giggling about outside the safety of the seventh division. She blinked and pressed her forehead to the metal of the ladder. Whatever, she thought. That was months ago, when he didn't card his hand through her hair affectionately, when he thought of her useful as a bath soap. Besides, the chances were higher that he knew his face very well and he was using his best angle every moment she saw him.

Chiaki clenched the bars tighter and climbed up.

"You're so slow!" Kamui yelled again. He was grinning like a maniac.

"Stop gloating!" Chiaki yelled back. Her hands have started to shake when she wasn't holding on to a bar. Her feet were slightly cold too. She can't look down. Her whole body will swing on the edge and she will panic. She would splatter to the ground like a pulp. _I'm almost there…_

"Okay, suit yourself, I was trying to help. But it seems like you want me to do the exact opposite." Kamui's voice was echoing dangerously.

"What are you talking about?" She commented absently.

Then like a bus at full speed, a crate of nuts and bolts dropped inches from her shoulder.

"_WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?"_ Chiaki felt her calmness skitter away from her. She was clinging on the rungs like her life depended on it, which it did.

"Obstacles! You clearly didn't want my aid." He cheered.

"What aid? Which aid? Oh my god, don't throw that don't aahh! Sheesh! It almost hit me in the face!"

"Don't be a pansy." Kamui told her, gleefully evil. The Admiral whirled around, beaming and searched for something hilarious to throw at her. He wasn't really aiming, maybe not specifically at her vitals. You see, if she fell down, he was experienced enough to dive down faster and rescue her from breaking anything important. He spun to her direction, holding a brown paint can.

Chiaki popped up from the stair case and threw her helmet at him.

Kamui dodged the watermelon inspired helmet and dragged a smile. In which his only appropriate response was to ask if she brought the chicken rice she promised.

The nurse was less than impressed, but she did what was told and managed not to dump the food on the floor. The only reason she didn't waste food was because there was a chance that he would start shoveling floor rice into his mouth. Unfortunately Kamui still crammed deliciousness down his throat. Chiaki arched a brow at that, but she didn't have the right to because she did exactly same thing.

After dinner, Chiaki steeled herself away from the welcoming warmth of Kamui and resolved to sit beside a dirty pillar in an attempt to give out signals that she wasn't going to easily forgive him like the previous times he tried to be a psychopath with her. Kamui pretended to look torn, but she could feel his smile more than she could see it.

"I told Takasugi about the things you texted me." He leaned until his back was relaxed and he looked more like sleepy drunk rather than some pirate lord.

"What did he say?"

"It turned out to be Takechi. Also, Takasugi's blonde… What's her name again? Shinji?"

"Kijima Matako." Chiaki intervened.

"Ah. Kijima wanted to 'talk' to you about it." Kamui barreled on.

"You are trying to ruin my life way too far." The nurse blinked off the glare she wanted to give him and instead focused on the sapphires and golds that the universe had to offer. Past the disinterested expression of the nurse, Kamui was peeved at her lack of response. "Has Abuto finally rubbed off you?" There had to be some sort of disease… The admiral had seemingly permanent grin that felt like it was mocking her of all things. Chiaki scoffed.

"I'm simply trying to figure out a way not to plot elaborate murder schemes every time we're left alone at a place."

"I knew you had it in you."

"Ha. Ha." She said tilting her head back just enough that her bangs slip into her eyes. The light kissed her cheekbones, he neck and collarbones. Her skin felt frozen in the blasts of ice wind from the large fans above them. He found his chest warming at that, at how she refused to be cross with him. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and bask in her warmth despite her protests. It wasn't the time though. She didn't look like she wanted to be pestered at the moment. So the Admiral scooted over to her side, bent his spine and kissed her on the forehead instead.

Chiaki took that moment to seize him on the collar and pull him into something open-mouthed and surprisingly dizzying that when his arms got tired of supporting his back, he sat up gasping for breath.

"I thought you said no make outs!" His grin was ravenous. His chest was unsteady rhythm of overflowing emotions, a high he thought he could only find in murder.

"Making out is for teenagers who aren't pirates, mercenaries and fraudulent doctors." She said with her face flushing bright red, finding explanation for her unlikely actions underneath her raging heartbeat.

"And you are?"

"All three of course, maybe a bit less on the mercenary part, I'm not very proud of that one."

It was Kamui's turn to blink at her. "Not proud of being a murdering fake doctor pirate?" His hand found its way at the tangles of her hair. He removed the hairpin –scrubbed clean of mud and grit. Chiaki didn't know how she found her head resting comfortably at his lap when she was leaning against some column earlier. It must have been the kissing, or the way he seemed to coax her into anything he wanted to her to do, as long as it didn't cross her ability, or the line of her values.

"Not proud of the killing part."

"Stop looking like a kicked dog." His fingers trailed suspiciously down her throat, leaving warm uncomfortable lines.

"Any dog of yours will look like this…" She smiled, but when she met his eyes, he wasn't. He runs his thumb through the hair of her temples.

"Don't tell me there wasn't any time you felt pleased of your skill when your weapon pierced someone in the stomach. I've seen you smile while you killed after my failed execution." Kamui was mostly made of sharp edges, like glass, like knives. Pretty when the light caught the shining ends, but deadly in the dark. His words cut like daggers as well, knowing or not. It was always there from the beginning and the nurse often avoided the worst of its blows. She swallowed around the fight she wanted to start. Because it would mean she would lie to him, a lot. It also meant that somewhere along the dimmer parts of her life, when her eyes deepened in rust red, she felt a sense of success that she didn't die and her enemy did.

So she said, "You were watching me" accusingly like it was a crime.

"That's far from the point." He said which meant he was always watching her even when she wasn't looking back at him. "I'm not going to force your hand, don't cut people down if you don't want to. It doesn't make any difference to me. But I'm not lying if I say that you have potential." He curled his hand into her hair. "You're better than any of our previous doctors, I'm glad I kidnapped you."

_I'm glad you kidnapped me too. _That she wanted to say, but what came out was. "I think you missed your true calling as a psychotic kidnapper, piracy doesn't suit you." A few strands of her hair fell out when he accidentally ripped his open hand out of her locks. She didn't notice. The Admiral hastily picked up the more obvious strands and hurled them into a darker corner where she wouldn't see them.

Chiaki felt like she was going to fall too hard for him and die.

So the next thing that blurted out of her mouth –before she could stop herself, sweet Jesus– was something she had thought of far earlier in the game. During the nights where she childishly imagined what it would be like if she didn't die fast enough to be useful, if she ended up an obstacle. It was pretty obvious back then, he would cut her down… but now the question that she had been avoiding was said, although it was very unwise.

"What's going to happen to me when I start getting in the way of everything?"

Kamui avoided that question. He was anchored to her, their lives intertwined like his first attempts of braiding his hair. He was always able to imagine his life without her –he didn't understand Aiko's derisive romance novels. He had conscious imagines where he would do something absurd, she would slap him, her hand would hurt and the dream would be over.

"I don't know." He smiled at her, wavering. His face goes uncomfortably dark.

"But when it happens, please do me a favor and don't forget that in the end, I'll always remain a pawn."

"You underestimate yourself, Chiaki." The way he said her name made her grin.

"Ordinary humans can only do so much. You Yato got all the potential. I don't mind dying in a ditch if it boosts your chances to be the strongest in the universe." He was silent, too silent. She looked at him and it didn't hurt that he wasn't even listening. He didn't seem to, but he was. Chiaki fell asleep after her eyes got used to the fluorescent glow of the lights, her cheek pressed against the rough grey cloth of his pants. She felt him shift his weight several times; she felt his fingers prod curiously at the base of her neck.

An hour had passed and she opened her eyes in dimmer lights, curled under his blankets. She was back in their shared room. Kamui was sitting on the bed, his back faced her. Even with blurry eyes could see the subtle line of his spine, the barely visible scars that marked the geography of his skin. Her sleep numb fingers reached to the garter of his pants, she tugged it a little, to tell him that she was awake.

The Admiral turned to her with an almost hurt expression that her throat drops to the well of her stomach and she jolted awake with her heart wrecking her chest. "Are you okay?" She said, panicked. And of all the infuriating fake bastard smiles he shone to her, this one hurt the most. His large pale hand dipped her face back to the suddenly confining bed. His smile petered out, eyes ever wide and curious.

"You were asking me to be like my father." He could feel the warm rabbit hearted patter behind his ribs. He should be angry at the unwitting fool for her request. Umibozu always wanted to be the strongest. Umibozu always saw his family as trivial and chose to leave his wife to sleep alone in the indescribable cold nights of their decaying planet.

He wasn't his father.

So he snarled, hand curling to a fist around her locks and he said, "I'm not going to dump you anywhere, you hear that?"

"Thank goodness." Chiaki returned, her breath was shaky from surprise. "I worried about that from some time." She swallowed and he let go of her hair. He seemed to have a habit of grabbing people's hair. It didn't look like he was aware, though. Worry was tiring, and so was being angry. He shoved his hands under her back and flipped her to her side of the bed. He then casually tucked himself in. He was so tired that he was hallucinating that he heard her mutter that his past doesn't matter, because he was insane even without its influence.

"You're not going to leave me too, right?" He asked absently.

She scoffed, turned around to face him. Her hair was stuck to her cheek again, dimples visible from the dwindling light of his open windows. "Hell no, besides, I still need to learn how to braid my hair like how you do it. Do you know how stylish it looks when it's windy? It goes all flap… flap… flap." It carved bubbling laughter out of him and he laughed until his chest was heaving. Until his past was empty. Until imagining nights without the strawberry pink of her hair and her idiotic puns felt achingly lonely.

He must have felt asleep because the next morning he woke up with Chiaki fully dressed, observing the roots of his hair and saying bullshit like. "Damn, I knew nobody could have perfect hair like that! You're using girly hair dye! For girls! Ha!" Just because she was born with a crazy hair color doesn't mean she had the right to poke fun at those whose genes stuck with the basic hair palate.

So he back flipped, ignored her screams of surprise –and later protests. Five seconds later, he pinned her down the cushion, tied her down with a blanket and stuffed a sock in her rude mouth. Because he was Kamui and he could do whatever the hell he wanted.


	20. Chapter 20

**A rare AN:** Watch me as I take this story nowhere.

Are people actually enjoying this as much as I do? I mean, I do enjoy it. But I feel like I lost my touch in writing and now I'm going to drive this story in shit directions. Enjoy the ride!

I do not own Gintama and I don't receive profits from this damned story of mine. Also, sorry for my abrupt endings. Haha

I love you, ma honeys!

* * *

**Chapter 20:**

_You are invited…_

In posh runny writing that was nearly impossible to read, will all the unnecessary swirls that made it ever so official. The card was champagne tinted with an embarrassing flurry of gratuitous frills and sequins. One would think that it was decorated by Aiko-san himself, one would be right on that assumption. Behind the courtly invitation was a microscopic date that screamed in purple letters: _It's fucking tomorrow_ with a barely readable version of Chiaki's name embellished with more sequins.

Chiaki felt uncomfortable. It was a wedding invitation. Her eyes shifted from the card to the future bride –who was sobbing ten minutes ago– then to the card again, just to be sure.

"Are you sure you want… me in your wedding?" She said uneasily. The bride nodded.

Eleven minutes ago the pink haired nurse ambled to Aiko's room with a plate full of sugar cookies. Said sugar cookies were the edible form of apologies from Abuto after an incident in the Gay Bar.

"Don't say I never did anything for you." Chiaki said and looked for Aiko.

_The point is_, Aiko was shit deep into the emotional mess of the female Eight Division Captain. Who was getting married the next day.

_The other point is,_ Chiaki remembered a quote from the doctor she worked for at difficult times like these. It was, _screw off or I'll have to check how much elasticity your balls can handle, _which won't be helpful because of her ruined capacity to socially interact with crying ladies.

Upon seeing the desponded Captain, she inconspicuously plopped down the pastries and dashed off. Of course that never went well.

Aiko aimed a harpoon at the nurse and she was forced to comfort the bride.

"So, what's with the tears?" Chiaki tried to look as worried and caring as possible. The Eight Division Captain looked wrinkly. She was crying for hours now and it was beyond Aiko's doting and gingerbread pastries to soothe.

"He– _HE_ _Waaaaaaaaaaaa!"_ The bride to be bawled. The nurse gave Aiko a pointed look for dragging her into his mess and sighed.

Seven minutes later, when the wailing ceased. Chiaki put her hand at the bride's and said. "I can only give you this one saying that my late mum used to tell me when I was a wee lass … _men are scum._" Before the bride would start crying again, the nurse put a hasty lid on the shitty phrase she made up. "But they still love you, and to have men love you is better than to have a Pidgeon-falcon-ostrich-hen stalking you. Much more if it's a gorilla."

The bride's starry eyes lit up with confusion.

"A pigeon-falcon-gorilla what?"

"Exactly." Chiaki nodded sagely.

"I wanted a small ceremony as a wedding… I only asked him for that one thing! He couldn't do it. He had to make it a large event! There were more than five-hundred guests from his side, families and business partners… I understand that he's an Elder and he has his own duties… but."

"You're marrying an Elder!" Chiaki blinked and twisted up from her seat.

"He's not really _old._ 'Elder' is just a title for being wise in wiles. Besides, he's really hot." The bride grinned. 'Hot' men were not in plentiful supply in the Harusame where hooks for hands, wood for feet and eyepatches were considered swanky.

"Congrats on that!" The nurse grinned. "So why were you crying if he's that great?"

The bride looked down as her fingers clenched and unclenched. Aiko gave her a glass of milk.

"His family doesn't really _like_ me. We're of different races you see. I'm from Eunovah and he's the third son from a family of famous pirates. His sisters think he's better off marrying someone else who'd give them an advantage over other pirates. And I'm not the one… once they get there. My wedding is going to be ruined!" She clutched the glass tightly. Her face was red on the edges.

"It doesn't matter hon, he loves you." Aiko said from the background.

"I know he does, but I'm up against a _family_ that hates me. He never told his parents that I'm an orphan. I don't even have anyone that will walk me to the altar."

Chiaki pursed her lips. No teenage experience would have prepared her for a situation like this and the adventurous glint on Aiko's eyes didn't bode well for her.

"Well. How many guests do you have? On your side of the family." Aiko sat down next to Chiaki, almost crushing the nurse with his muscles. He held the hands of the bride gently.

"I have a sister…"

"And?" Chiaki intruded.

"The –the Admiral is invited too, and all of the other Captains as well." The Captain smiled a little.

"No _honey_, how many other family members?"

"Oh crap, Aiko, please don't do what I'm thinking you're gonna do." Chiaki whispered.

"Quiet Chiaki." Aiko pushed the nurse's face aside with a beefy arm. "Would it be possible for you to invite more people in such a short time? It's really necessary if you want us to help." Aiko said sweetly.

"No, don't listen to him, he's loco!" Chiaki squealed from the side, but she was ignored.

"Chiaki, would you be a dear and fetch Abuto for me?"

"Fetch him yourself! I'm_ not_ going to get sucked into one of your schemes again!" She spluttered angrily, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Don't be too harsh, when has my schemes been that bad?" Aiko crossed his arms.

"Kamui beat me up with a piece of egg carton because you told him humans get impregnated_ by kissing._"

The bride flushed in embarrassment and looked away in a futile attempt to spare the nurse from the claws of humiliation.

"Chiaki-san." The bride's expression was surprisingly kind. "It's alright. I trust Aiko-san, he was the only friend kind enough to guide me in times when I was in trouble." The Captain squeezed Chiaki's tiny shoulders in an attempt to build trust. The nurse seemed to think it through before she allowed herself to slip a positive smile at the bride, but not before shooting Aiko a 'you're batshit insane' look.

"Okay." Chiaki brushed a strand of hair off her face. "Okay." She repeated. Then there was a flashy invitation card handed out to her with her name hastily scribbled on seconds before. He nurse asked the bride if she really wanted her in the wedding.

Momoiro Ayaka nodded with a bright smile.

Chiaki didn't know what she did in her past life to deserve such treatment. She _liked_ Momoiro and according to what Chiaki heard in the dining rooms, she was the first Captain to be elected because she was smart. No brawns at all. She climbed her way to the top with as much honesty as a pirate can spare. Apparently she was really good at what she did. Now she was getting married and Chiaki had half a day to find a 'father' to walk the Eight Division Captain to the altar.

So she left Aiko and her new found friend to discuss 'How to dis you husbands racist family without appearing as an asshole' tactics that made them giggle like school children to do some actual work.

"Abuto-san." Chiaki called out. She was at the office, Abuto was writing down salaries. Kamui was tucking an armful of books back at a shelf.

"No."

"Just hear me out!" The nurse felt a flood of irritation when Abuto waved her off.

"Admiral?" She looked at Kamui hopefully. The redhead raised his eyebrow and said: "Whatever it is, I'm going to be busy tonight. I have work to do and there's this ceremony I need to attend tomorrow." He also waved her off.

Memories jostled and Chiaki's pleasant smile twisted into an ugly frown. Yes, _work._ Oh she knew the kind of work Kamui was being busy about. He was spending too much time in Takasugi's presence and Chiaki actually missed his idiotic morning puns. She often woke up alone the past two weeks. He wasn't there and she wasn't asking for his time. She understood the responsibilities that came with being the Admiral, but she felt like she was being pushed aside too much.

"Are you okay?" Kamui tilted his head to the side. She snapped into reality like a rubber band stretched too far.

"I'm fine." She lied. He didn't seem to believe her. "No really, I'm just worried about the guys I left at the Fourth Division, the skin disease plague thing is spreading you know that?"

"Yes, I'm quite aware." The Admiral ambled towards her.

"The best thing we could all do was to relieve symptoms; the other doctors didn't know what the hell it was."

"Yes." He said it so silently that she wouldn't have heard the words if she wasn't staring intently at his mouth. The Admiral smoothed his fingers through her hair, readjusting the hairpin that stuck out like chopsticks on a rice bowl. He grinned when she leaned into his touch and took that opportunity to flick her on her forehead with the strength of a herd of wildebeest.

Kamui didn't expect it, neither did Abuto nor anyone who was in the room if invisible ninjas existed. Chiaki rolled her outstretched fingers into a tight fist and hit Kamui below his ribcage. It didn't hurt as much as how the Admiral made it seem so, eyes widening, back bending forward, lips twisting into an unusual grin.

"Wow, you certainly traded sleep for a spine!" He said grinning wildly. He tilted her chin with his free arm to observe her darkening eyebags. It almost unnerved her how cheerful he sounded. It was purely impulsive, how her body reacted to unwanted sensations of pain. She just had to get back on him, because the lack of his presence weighed down on her physically and emotionally.

"That was for that stupid flick, I felt my brain rattle a little."

"That's because it's shrinking from your lack of sleep."

"Brains don't shrink like that." She mused. "Also, I have 'work' to do as well, for instance, I need to find someone to act as a father for Momoiro-san's wedding."

"Eh? You know the Eight Division Captain?"

"I might look socially incompetent, but I'm better than Abuto-san at making friends."

Kamui hummed. "I'll ask Abuto to act as her father– "

"That's very rude Admiral! Don't talk about me like I'm not here."

"Shut up old man." Kamui looked at Chiaki with interest. "In exchange, make me dinner for tonight."

She didn't know if it was joy that burst on her chest that time. But it wasn't anything near negative. She must be turning into a masochist, she was following his orders, his requests without question. She felt glad that she waltzed into his office. Chiaki nodded. "Can I choose what you'd eat?"

"Sure." He brushed her bangs aside and pecked the reddening mark on her forehead.

"Disgusting!" Abuto quipped. "Get a room! Better yet, just leave Pirating!"

"Abuto, if you don't attend Momoiro's wedding tomorrow as her pretend father, I'll cut your salary in half!" Kamui yelled.

"Sure thing boss! I'll definitely come."

Chiaki smiled in approval.

"I have things to take care off, so..." Kamui's warm hand landed on her shoulder. Then he did a karate chop. Chiaki's entire frame stood still. Then she shook, wide eyed and painfully saying "Ow _fuck!_" before landing in the floor in a writhing mess. The Admiral should have felt sorry for her. He should have felt even a tick's worth of guilt. But he didn't.

_"See you later honey!"_

Chiaki passed by Kamui later at a hallway, while he was chatting animatedly with Takasugi. She tapped him in the shoulders lightly.

"Excuse me Takasugi-san."

"It's alright." The eyepatch wearing psychopath nodded.

Chiaki kicked Kamui in the nuts for revenge. There was a gasp, his face slightly reddened then he went down to one knee, as if proposing then glared _intensely_ at the nurse. Chiaki ran off before he could have done anything. She never used her full power till now. Yet again, it was driven by impulse. But that's alright. It was Kamui's fault for bruising her shoulder muscles in the first place. How was she supposed to gurney people out of emergency rooms now?

That night, Chiaki slept at Matako's room because when she entered Kamui's private quarters. He was standing stick still carrying a sharp hatchet that shone the fluorescent lights. She got the hell out of dodge when the weapon lodged itself inches from her head.

She should have known it would happen. But there were pressing problems that eagerly required her firsthand attention.

"You are not wearing that to someone's wedding." Matako rubbed her temples.

"I don't see why not." Chiaki smoothed out the wrinkles on her v-necked nurse uniform. She heard soldiers of war wore uniforms in marriages, why not nurses as well? Besides, she never had nice clothes in the first place. Matako was wearing something revealing (representative of the Kiheitai, she received the invitation from the husband). If that was what Matako wanted her to wear, she would say no.

"Kijima-chan is correct." Aiko's head popped from the double doors of the blonde's room. He was wearing orange shades. His hair was tousled and dyed on an amusing shade of red. He did a ridiculous spray tan as well.

"Please don't tell me you made some frilly, furry thing with duck heads for me to wear." Chiaki blanched.

"Don't be absurd sweetie. That will be for the Water Fowl Festival next week. I did a little DIY with some glue gun and made you something!" Aiko grinned shoved a slightly lacy pink dress. Kijima Matako squealed in sync with the gay man and jumped up and down.

It turned out that Aiko was the God or … Princess of the Glue Gun Kingdom because the dress was a smashing success. It was simple, but it hugged Chiaki's features so nicely that the nurse couldn't give out a simple complaint. She grinned when the ends of the knee-length dress twirled gracefully when she moved.

"Oh my god! The Admiral is totally gonna try to take advantage of you tonight! And then you'll have babies soon and I'll be Auntie Aiko!"

Now, formal parties weren't exactly something Chiaki invested her time with. She'd often leave the tiring task of smiling sweetly to the posh and sometimes rude members of the society to her father who was so willing.

Matako needed to refresh her make up for the fifth time so she left Chiaki to nervously stand outside the meeting room with three hundred more similarly nervous people. Momoiro's husband sure invited half the Harusame. The nurse swallowed, jittery in her sandals. She peered through the mass of chattering people and hoped to find someone she encountered at least once in her stay there, just so she won't look alone.

She spotted two members of the Parasol Lovers Society and almost made her way to them if Abuto didn't stop her.

Chiaki turned and grinned at the vice-captain. He was wearing a classy suit with his hair neatly slicked back with what Chiaki hoped wasn't saliva. He looked sober, but she knew he would be drowning himself with alcohol after the event.

"Don't talk to those losers." He whispered and she immediately wished she chose another person to represent as Momoiro's father because Abuto just _looked_ sober. He was drunk as hell.

"Why are you drunk?" She whispered.

"Nay, I can control my alcohol really well. Anyway, the Admiral' get damn pissed if he eyes your person to talk to losers like them." He whispered back. Drinking gave him confidence. It wasn't the first damn time that someone asked Abuto to represent as their 'father' for a wedding. For once he wanted to be the one kissing the bride and going home with her, to have loud twins after a Kamui-less year.

"You're not controlling your vocabulary well enough though!" She frowned and began patting the sides of his body.

"Oi! It's not the time to hug! Get your baby hands off me!" He sloppily pushed her off, but it was too late. Chiaki felt the neck of a bottle on one of his side pockets and immediately confiscated his whiskey. They were making a scene, she knew that, but it was a whole lot easier to go through this kind of embarrassment than the tragedy of a drunk escort to the altar.

Abuto blinked and cursed when he saw his cheap drink being tucked inside Chiaki's handbag. Well, cheap because he nicked it from Harusame Groceries.

"A man needs his drink. I can't walk in there sober! I'm already embarrassing myself." He groaned miserably. Chiaki knew she needed to do something before he flipped off and left.

"I'll ignore the other things you'll do today." She nodded.

"What?" He rubbed his chin intently. Did… did she know his well-kept secret?

Chiaki crossed her arms and lowered her voice. "Don't pretend to be innocent sir. I know your reputation."

His lip twitched to the side in an attempt to hide his cutthroat grin, but it was plain as day.

"Hahaha! I'm so glad I didn't kill you when you got too annoying! You know what they say! As long as you don't get caught it's legal!" He squeezed her cheeks with all the semi psychopathic fatherly joy a pirate could muster and nicked someone's wallet in the process.

Abuto fetched half a thousand dollars from the stolen purse and inconspicuously threw the empty wallet under a girl's floor length dress. "They called me quicksilver once! I was the thief of the thieves!"

"No!" Chiaki panicked. She didn't mean that he could line his pockets with everyone's money. She meant that he could flirt with anyone that day and she'd try to keep Kamui's insults at bay by not backing him up even when he used puns! It was too late though, because he managed to squeeze himself through the crowd with a jovial skip as necklaces and rings fell snugly into his hands.

The nurse squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten. The weight of Abuto's cheap whiskey suddenly felt welcomingly heavy in her pouch.

Minding the 'losers' of the Parasol Lovers Society, she tried to look for a shock of vermillion or a protruding antenna of red in the crowd. Kamui would know what to do. He was attending, he was no doubt invited. She entered a half crowded elegantly decorated room. There was a battalion of white classy chairs arranged in a choir formation with cards stuck at the backs containing names strategically placed. She looked for hers but was distracted when she heard Kamui's voice.

She didn't know what to feel when she saw him leaning toward a girl who was gripping his arm like a vice.

A sound escaped her throat and for once grateful for the noise of the crowd because they didn't see nor hear her. Her face remained impassive, but her internal hackles were raised.

Kamui was blatantly flirting with a freckled brunette that had melons for chests.

She breathed in twice and calmed down. Chiaki was thankful that she didn't take a swing of Abuto's drink. A little less sober and she would have done a jealous stupid act that would end up with her shamed for the rest of the day. Kamui was the Admiral of a heinous organization. She was his and his promises of many things.

It was good enough for her.

The nurse made her way to a small path behind a flower stand when she spotted Kageri with his face stuffed on bouquets of hydrangeas. She tapped him on the shoulder politely.

Kageri shot her a look, widened his eyes in surprise and pulled her by the limbs to hide with him.

She stepped to his side and unconsciously looked at Kamui. She could smell the faint stench of alcohol seeping from Kageri's tux. She wrinkled her nose and confiscated an opened wine bottle jutting out from his pants. "Why are you drinking too?" She asked the Yato.

"I was asked to be the flower boy." He rubbed his reddening cheeks.

"Flower boys go to the prep room. _Go to prep room!_"

He snickered. "I shalth goeth to the said prep room if _you_, missy, would stay here and keep watch." He hiccupped.

"You mean eavesdrop? I don't do that. Besides, it's rude and I wouldn't want to disturb the two of them." She said and the Yato raised his eyebrows, amused but not willing to stop.

"Eavesdropping ain't bad when not caught. Now. When _I _said watch I meant watch for _snipers_. You know guerillas they pop out like nipples when unwanted. So you keep an eye out there girl, I'll get Fridgeotto to cover you after a few." He put her snugly in place. "Eyes on the prize, missy, _behind the hydrangeas!_"

"Kageri, you're drunk."

"Shush! I said. Behind the hydrangeas, behind the flowers … _of love!_" He winked again then slowly walked backwards with a spring on his step, but not before tripping over a wheal in the red carpet. A high pitched giggle tore her away from Kageri's retreating figure.

Chiaki's phone beeped.

…

[9:20 am] : Abuto : **I forgot to mention that Admiral loser is looking for you. **

[9:21 am] : Abuto : **They said it's an Nexun wedding… The father holds flowers too? I'm sort of allergic. Do you have anything that can help?**

[9:21 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : Crap. Meet me in the main room. I have some pills for that.

…

"Crap." The nurse subconsciously checked her dress for wrinkles then took two steps to the direction of the Admiral.

Kamui's smile remained intact but he was losing his patience. Mitsuko, her name was Mitsuko. She was the sister of one of the elders who truly despised Kamui to a degree. (Under table profits were washed down the drain after Admiral Abo was stripped from his position) The recent Admiral blatantly refused bribes. Money doesn't faze him as much as the promise of a good fight.

In an average day, he would have pierced her organs with his fingertips when she opened her mouth and forgot where she stood on the tiers of life.

But there were reputations to be made. Mitsuko's brother –the groom– invited him out of necessity. He was there to save face and Abuto specifically told him to use the wedding as an opportunity to strengthen political bonds. He already spent most of his mornings in the company of greedy thieving pirate lords. He didn't want to _stretch_ it further.

Chiaki appeared; he had half the mind to shove Mitsuko down the floor.

Of all the things, Mitsuko was –wealthy, educated as well as strikingly beautiful. Kamui felt a sense of dread. What if Chiaki perceived things wrongly? What if she marched down to him only to slap him in the face?

She stopped at a respectable distance and Kamui's open appreciation of Chiaki's appearance was not lost on Mitsuko. She clung on him like a leech and shot a glare on the nurse, where she quickly hid with a strained smile. The nurse didn't go through high school without learning anything. She was well aware of Mitsuko's typing. Girls like her were everywhere.

"Good morning sir." Chiaki nodded professionally at Kamui, face revealing nothing. She smiled pleasantly at Mitsuko, gave her salutations, her name and offered a handshake.

Mitsuko gave out a chortled laugh, eyes piercing Chiaki like daggers. "Dear, we_ don't_ shake hands, I'm a woman if you didn't see beforehand."

Kamui cleared his throat.

"Apologies, it's a habit." The nurse took her hand back. Kamui could see it, the thin outline of a gun strapped at the right pocket of Chiaki's dress. She took him seriously when he told her to bring a weapon if she strayed from their designated part of the base. He felt a little spark of pride.

Mitsuko ignored her with eyes drowning with spite in favor of settling her hands on her hips, Chiaki narrowed her eyes instinctively.

"Admiral, my time is being wasted" Mitsuko says, sounding steadier now, comfortable in her refined disdain, ordering him around. She watched Chiaki with a raised eyebrow, lip curled in a cultivated smile. "Would you mind showing yourself out?" She tilted her head to the side, obviously trying to get under the nurse's skin.

Chiaki laughed.

"Actually, I was waiting for her." Kamui untangled Mitsuko's arm out of his with strength that could have easily broken the lady's wrist.

"Oh! So you're the_ snip_ that everybody is talking about." Mitsuko shook her head at the nurse's direction. "It's a wonder how you managed to smuggle yourself up to the ranks." There it was, the up and down look Chiaki had been waiting for. "Must have required some effort for someone like you –of humble beginnings to get here." Mitsuko looked triumphant, languorous with satisfaction, and she was hovering close enough to Kamui to make him twitch. Chiaki's eyes trained to Kamui whose smile compared to the Brunette were _terrifying._

"I'm sure it must be a rare treat for you to attend a high level function such as this. I'm sure you feel uncomfortable" she said, stepping closer, hand outstretched. Chiaki would have stepped back on her heels. But she didn't, instead she stood still and snapped her head at Kamui's direction when his parasol taps against Mitsuko's ankles. "No further." He said, voice dangerously low.

Mitsuko's smile was dangerously close to a sneer. Like a viper hidden in grass.

She knew he couldn't hurt her. He couldn't kill anyone or at least curse anyone. It was a public event and there were rousing suspicions about the Admiral's ability to lead.

"Actually I am." Chiaki nodded. She figured the best way to avoid this lady was to give her what she wanted. Lying about anything would make matters worse and judging by the slight but noticeable twitch on her eye. She didn't like what the nurse answered. The nurse was suddenly aware that she wasn't wearing any sort of make-up, that her bangs were wild, bouncing awkwardly, hiding a scar she earned from battles she lost. She may as well be naked, the way Mitsuko stared. It was a harrowing sort of inspection. Chiaki struggled to not move an inch, to keep her from shifting her weight back and forth, from fidgeting, from looking away.

Then Mitsuko said, "How about a joke to lighten up the mood?"

"She's not fond of jokes." The Admiral reassured her. He was on Chiaki's side now, his hand gripped her shoulder, face twisted with thought.

"I know one! What did the King do to his wife when he found out that she was Earthling whore?"

Chiaki's blank shock melted into disgust. "What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have known that you don't know what Earthlings are. They're_ Humans_, disgusting creatures, _really._ Like the ones on that Kiheitai group dirtying this place. Admiral, dear, would you do us all a favor and get rid of that smelly Human garbage. They really stink!" She fanned her face for emphasis. The quiet was cracking, fracturing away. Her heart stopped, disgust morphing into anger. She would have walked away, maybe given Mitsuko a quip or two but she _knew_ that Kamui was about to haul and punch –_kill_ the woman. So she beat him to it.

Chiaki slapped Mitsuko.

It would do badly for his name to hit an Elder's sister. The bones of her cheek made her palm ache. Mitsuko was stunned, eyes wide with shock and tears. She screamed and immediately, four other women swarm to her. One shot her a glare but immediately withered out when she saw the heavy look Kamui gave her.

"I guess it wouldn't do you good to be seen hand in hand with me for approximately… a month." She rubbed her nose.

"We don't go outside hand in hand anyway." He sneered.

"Are you angry at me?" Behind Kamui she could see Matako take notice of things. She walked near the pair with a tap tap of her excruciatingly gorgeous shoes and waited. It seemed like Chiaki was needed elsewhere.

He was _angry_ at her.

"Why did you hit her?" He demanded.

"What? You wanted to hit her first!" She said "If you were the one that did it, that troublesome brother of hers will throw you in the frying pan the next Elder related meeting." She explained. His mouth flattened, his jaw ached from tension. He didn't know she listened to his endless complaints about whoever was trying to dis him all day. Of whom he wanted to repay certain favors by feeling the blood seep from his hands.

He didn't feel happy or relieved. His face was marked with a frown. Mostly, he felt pissed because now they would be after her. It would be more work for him. He already had her on constant watch. She was constant magnet of trouble with her impulsive tendencies and it irked him that even when she was efficient, she couldn't _fight_ and that she shouldn't be seeking for it.

Kamui told her what he felt and she bit her lip in frustration. He said it in such a way that it _stung_. He was tame for weeks and she should have expected the possibility of him to threatening her again. Threats that weren't merely to jut humor from, he was dead serious.

He could have not put it so bluntly. She knew it was naïve to expect constant gentleness from him. Like sketching out an ideal across the image of reality, she couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment.

"Would you rather have your name shamefully dragged down the mud then?" She asked, looking down.

He seemed to contemplate whether or not to listen to her before laughing. He shoved her against the wall with a hand on her sternum.

"Shame is a social construct restricted to you Humans and all other lower life forms, so, I am above it." His eyebrow was raised cockily, smug, mouth in a thinner smile.

He then leaned closer, sweat rolled down the nurse's back as she stiffened, too afraid to move.

Kamui whispered. "I don't give a damn about what others think of me, my followers have seen worst and I still lead them like mutts on a diamond leash. The Elders can go _fuck_ themselves. I will kill them sooner or later, so don't get all worked up for something as trivial as this understand?" The Admiral had a pleasant grin, but most of the time, you don't want it looking at you.

But she needed to make a point.

"You never tell me anything." Crap, now she needed to strategize having friends or she'll end up friendless, with nothing but hard ass people like Aiko to tell secrets to.

"Took you long enough to notice!" He remarked with an insane look in his eyes. Then she collapsed at the bottom keening and groaning in pain, clutching her stomach with supreme effort as tears and saliva leaked from her face. Kamui gave her a light punch below the ribcage –revenge for her earlier attack. She didn't see it coming at all. The worst part was, by the look on his face, he was _enjoying _it. She couldn't even get pissed at him, because she made it seem like a game to him.

Her screaming brought unwanted attention. But Kamui waved them off and people turned their heads away, willing the scene to be forgotten. The Admiral turned his back on Chiaki eyes filled with mirth as he treaded off. He would see her later, they were seated together after all. Now she was uselessly in pain and anger something he would rather not get himself tangled into. He saw Matako plant her feet, eyes blazing with shock, anger, switching from his face to Chiaki's curled up figure in the floor. If it was anyone, she would have attacked, but she was smart and Kamui was taller, _smarter_. She could kill a dozen of armed men but her guts would spill before she could bring her gun out.

She stood still while he walked out and immediately knelt beside the nurse. Eyes scanning wildly for blood, jutting bones anything that would lead her to more panic.

Chiaki stopped wheezing on the five minute mark. "I'm going to kill him." Her throat was dry and the pain was enough to remind her that there will be a dark, ugly, and rapidly greening bruise developing on her stomach. She would tell Matako it's no big deal, but she would be moving slowly the following weeks. A painful reminder not to play dangerous games with the Admiral, well at least he didn't mutilate her face, or break her fingers one by one. It wasn't his _style._

"Come on honey, let me fix you up. The bride's also looking for you." Matako tried to lift her up and Chiaki does it reluctantly, wincing when the pain got to her.

"What are you wearing?" The nurse limped a little, her right arm tucked on the assassin's shoulder.

"Apparently, I'm a bridesmaid." Matako said through perfectly done lashes.

"_Shit._" Chiaki said.

"Shut up, you're one too, and Aiko and Bansai-sama, a bunch of other girls…"

"How about the Elder's sister?" She whispered, her throat was still hurting.

"Oh? The bitch you slapped? She backed out after finding out that_ Humans _were in the bridesmaids thing. But Momoiro won't back down. It was hilarious really. You should have seen it, then again, I should have been there when you ruined her stupid make-up." Chiaki laughed with Matako upon realizing that if she continued on, she would live forever in the knife's edge of complete chaos. She then regrets it after pain remerged like an old enemy. The blonde clearly enjoyed it since she laughed harder.

They choke in laughter, heads bent close together, ignoring the disapproving looks shot by the many others.

* * *

Chiaki braided the bride's hair and allowed Aiko to sprinkle heart shaped sequins, glitter and a disturbing amount of hairspray all over because apparently Momoiro's stylist thought afros were the recent fad.

Nobody wanted afros.

"I know it's none of my business, but does the Admiral hurt you all the time? We've just met yesterday, and I like you a lot. I'm slightly worried that you might end up in a hospital." The bride said. Chiaki pinned flowers around her hair. (She chose the flowers carefully, a green five petal vase flower almost bit her hand off.)

"Honey, she works at the Hospital, Chiaki would know if he's gone too far." Aiko said from the other room. They had crazy paper thin walls that broadcasted everything. The okama was changing into a stylish dress/tux, hopefully without a neon boa.

The bride fidgeted, obviously nervous for her big entrance later on. Chiaki pinned the braids up her head securely and thanked Momoiro for the privilege of being her bridesmaid, even in such short notice. It seemed to induce tears from the bride. "I don't have friends you see! I'm so glad there are real _females_ in this place, no offense to Aiko-san. He was the first combatant that took me kindly and seriously in this place." Aiko didn't take offense, he was very proud of himself. When Matako asked how the bride was able to take their measurements and gave them perfectly fitted dresses. She replied with: "It's in your bio data, really."

Chiaki and Matako didn't know that they had those.

Chiaki also didn't know that Abuto would burst in the private room angry saying things like "You texted that you'd be in the main room! I needed to bribe Fridgeotto to find you! Now gimme my pills!" He had an angry red face with shiny red welts, spots and wheals all over his cheek and forehead. He also said something like "Bollocks, who set the curtains on fire! Is it the Admiral? It's the Admiral isn't it?!" over his phone and "What do you mean you don't have water? Douse it with piss if you have to." Chiaki gave him the strongest dose of antihistamines, Momoiro reminded him of his 'fatherly' duties and called three strong men to haul him off the door. (He was stuck.)

"What do you think he meant by the curtains being on fire?" Momoiro was doing her own make-up, which was admirable to Matako, even when it was done in a slightly shaky hand. Chiaki was changing into another knee length dress that wasn't put together with glue gun thankfully.

In an attempt to calm Momoiro nerves Aiko said: "It's just his midlife crisis talking. You know men and their need for Lamborghinis, fancy yachts, heated swimming pools, flaming curtains… the usual."

Of course everything went downhill from there.

"Momoiro-sama! The Reverend died!" The vice-captain of the Eight Division kicked the door open. "He was killed by this guy in a perfect orange braid! Who had perfect teeth and fancy clothes!" Jun, the vice-captain was a forever acerbic man with permanent scowl marks that trenched in the middle bits of his forehead. Even Momoiro was reluctant to give him difficult orders, whereas she would receive respectful silence, the lesser beings got the full force of his wrath. He wore pink briefs (stained by his red ties) under his pants and knew all the lyrics to Otsu-chan's songs.

The bride began to hyperventilate.

Aiko was panicky. "Is there anyone that could replace him?"

"No sir –ma'am , _sir_ the reverend was someone who travelled from Nexus. I don't believe we have anyone who could–" He ignored the vague gender distinctions of Aiko and gaped at Chiaki.

"What? What do you want?" A strange feeling twisted in her gut.

"Is that natural pink hair?"

"It's strawberry blonde." Chiaki crossed her arms and slapped his hand with a bouquet of the aforementioned hand eating flowers when he approached her.

"I think we can save this wedding." A sparkle in his eye, tears, a hand brought to a victorious fist and for the first time in eight years, Momoiro saw her vice-captain smile. It immediately gave him facial cramps after, but that was beside the point. The point was:

"You see, Nexun reverends have pink hair because they dip their heads in the fuchsia waters of the holy lake of their god Phlegmglob." Chiaki took a step back. It was impossible to have a decent conversation with a guy with cramped cheeks without a heavy duty umbrella. She was dressed in proper clerical clothing complete to the white choking collar around her neck. The only good thing that she could get from it was that she didn't need to hold those terrifying flowers that were eyeing her fingers from afar. "What the hell am I supposed to say?"

The bride was still hyperventilating. Chiaki gave her a purse decorated with pearls because paper bags were for plebeians.

"Nobody knows really, it's the new thing to have Nexun priests. The rumors say that they eat nothing but pig feet sautéed with garlic and white wine." Aiko sprayed his hair with glitter.

"Can't you just try incorporate one of your Jaeger Fries weddings back in Edo?" Jun asked.

"First of all, it's _Jesus Christ_ second, I haven't been to one and if the only things you guys know about Phlegmglobians are that they worship Phlegmglob and they like pig feet then I am not doing this." Chiaki _refused_ to do anything. "Also, I've heard that your husband wanted worship the Phlegmglob guy since last year, what if he realizes that it's all a sham. He'll have my head stuck on a stake to warn others." She knew she was just shit-scared. The universe always had a way to bring a shit storm above a poor fellow already neck deep in crap.

Momoiro was panicking so bad that a white flower fell down from her hair.

"Please, I know we don't know each other, but I'll repay you! With money or favors! Anything." The bride wanted to cry and behind her, Jun did a trick with a chainsaw.

_Don't do it Chiaki, Don't do it Chiaki, Don't do it Chiaki_

"Fine, I'll do it as long as it's your husband's first wedding. If this is his second Nexun wedding, I'll get thrown into the slammer."

"Oh thank you thank you thank you thank yoouuu!"

…

It was Chiaki's turn to panic.

[11:30 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _Stop slouching. I can see you waaaayy up from where I'm sitting. _

[11:31 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _I'm sitting in front. Haha tricked ya! What are you doing dressed up as a priest? Is that a trend for bridesmaids? _

[11:31 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : I swear to God this is all your fault. You killed the priest.

[11:31 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : I'm slouching because you punched me.

[11:33 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _Quit glaring at me honey! That was a halfhearted punch. Are you sure you know what you're doing?_

[11:34 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : No. I don't know what I'm doing and I would appreciate it if you stop winking at me. You look like you have a roach stuck in your eyeball.

[11:34 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _Wink Wink Wink! See you at the buffet table later. _

[11:35 am] : Sugiyama Chiaki : Fuck me, fuck my life.

[11:36 am] : Admiral Nincompoop : _I thought you'd never ask. Though, I'm not sure how to do the second one._

…

She closed her eyes in an _I'm not dealing with your bullshit so leave me alone manner._ It was unnoticed by the Admiral as he texted her five more texts before she was force to silence her phone for good, and it didn't mean throwing it in the chocolate fountain.

There was a lavish throne behind the tiniest altar with a carving of what it seemed to be Phlegmglob himself which was actually an itself. Phlegmblob was a monstrosity with fourteen tentacles, three arms, a red loincloth, a large baby head and oodles of oodles of righteous sticky Phlegm oozing out from under its holy appendages. There were properly dribbly candles and billowing curtains that was hastily replaced after a buffoon set fire on it. There were also lots of fancy chairs and lots of fancy people.

She was sweating profusely.

Chiaki held a bible like book under her armpit. It was heavy as a rock and could probably kill a puppy if dropped from the right height. She waited and soon enough the groom popped up from the side door with a cadre of thugs in black, or really buff groomsmen escorting him with heavy weaponry near the altar.

A pale balding old man with an unnatural protrusion at the back and bad teeth cracked his knuckles and played the wedding song in a massive organ.

It went _thhhrruuuuuunnnnnnn thruuuuuyyyynnnnn thrin tin twwooooonggggg_.

It sounded like crows screaming for their lives and mechanical laughter, but everyone was emotional so she figured that it was good. Kamui winked at her. She scowled.

"Psssttt."

"Psssssssttt."

"What? What is it?" Chiaki whispered to the groom, who was an elder, but this was a wedding and they followed the authority of the one with the bible. "Isn't the reverend supposed to be a man?" He asked her, Chiaki raised an eyebrow. She needed to make a good excuse quickly. From the corner of her eye, she could see throngs of females in dresses not prettier that the bride's walk through the red carpet.

"He had a fecal incident,_ too much pig feet apparently. _I'm his assistant!" She replied as politely as she could.

"Oh my… But I thought women weren't allowed to wed people." His eyes were suspicious. A groomsman punched his open palm for emphasis.

"Suck it bub, it's the new thing. What Phlegmglob wants, Phlegmglob gets." She straightened up before she immediately slouched to put ease on her raging stomach muscles. The groom asked if she was alright and she blamed the pig feet once more.

Aiko tittered around, doing an elaborate pirouette while sprinkling handfuls of red and pink petals in the walkway. Matako was doing the same thing, although more subtle and graceful. She threw a bunched up ball of petals like a stone to Mitsuko's head when she spotted her though. The music stilled to a breath's silence before it slowed down, on a more beautiful tempo. The lights dimmed, all unnecessary ladies in dresses were tucked in their chairs and the bride stepped into the room elegantly with her hand around Abuto –whose face was covered with band aids.

Chiaki held her breath as Momoiro ambled beautifully down the aisle. Abuto tripped halfway through due to a badly placed petal and she was forced to leave him since he lost consciousness.

Momoiro linked hands with the Elder –whose name was Igor for some reason.

There are dreary times where one forgets his or her speech, stutters at an important presentation or just blanks out at an important event. Chiaki always said that those fools just didn't know their script very well, blaming pressure for their incompetence. Now she wanted to apologize at their feet. She was experiencing the latter of the three.

"We… we are gathered here today under the guidance of… uhmm." _Shit, what was the name of the god again? Spitpool, Rusty Sputum, Salivablob? _"Under the guidance of _one another_…" There were murmurings in the audience. Kamui gave an unhelpful chortle, even if he covered it with a hasty cough. Mitsuko squinted, the Reverend looked familiar. It was good Chiaki wore glasses.

"Ahem." Igor, the husband cleared his throat and looked pointedly behind the fake reverend.

"To protect ourselves from heathen marriages…"

"Reverend." Igor whispered again.

"As such Heathen babes will not be borneth from non-heathen wombs." Her voice was too shaky. A few of the audience craned their necks closer.

_"Reverend!"_ Igor's eyes were bulging out of pressure. He puckered his lips darted it toward the throne.

Chiaki nervously looked back to see a ten foot boa constrictor snoozing at the throne's cushions.

"The serpent of Eden has come to punish those of Heathen ways!" Chiaki yelled in panic. Somebody screamed in the crowd and a man in a tutu blundered out of the double doors. Most of the audience thankfully sat in frozen fear. Kamui's feet was propped up on the chair in front of him, Abuto was still on the floor and Kageri picked his nose.

Aiko screamed as well. "Oh Mister Rumplesnakeskin! _There you are! _I've been looking everywhere for you!" He clambered up the thrones. Said a quick apology to the pair and wrapped his pet around his neck. Momoiro's hand covered her mouth, her shoulders were shaking.

Chiaki face palmed. She regained her bearings and thought that she might get some leverage by pretending to be a woman of faith.

The fake reverend clapped her hands once and smiled in a pastory way. "Igor, _sir_, you are now a real man and Phlegmglob wishes you to have a healthy life _if_ you quit _dissing people_ with perfect orange braids and shiny cobalt blue eyes, preferably assholes that close their eyes a lot to look cool…" Igor opened his mouth in shock, maybe he wanted to refuse what she said but Chiaki quickly whispered. "_It's the will of Phlegmglob."_ The groom shut his mouth and whispered under his breath. "Momoiro Ayaka, you are now a real woman, that will accompany this 'man' of yours even when he's old, sick, smells like dirt, poor and in health _blah blah blah_, Phlegmglob wishes you to also have a healthy life with…" Chiaki bent down to Momoiro's level. Who was grinning like crazy._ "How many children do you want to have?"_ She whispered.

"Twenty four!" Momoiro jumped in excitement. Chiaki retreated to her standing position cooly.

"Phlegmglob wishes you to have a healthy life with _twenty four children_ have stylish non afro hair and have white teeth."

Momoiro hugged Igor.

"You are now officially married under the cold dead eyes of Phlegmglob. Chiaki bowed cordially, shut her eyes when the both of them kissed loudly and ran off in case someone tried to assassinate her.

* * *

Chiaki drank unfamiliar fruit juice from a table. She was still wearing priestly clothing. She was still hurting all over in the abdomen, forcing her to move gingerly. She was angry every time she fell for it. Kamui had the capacity to act kind, gentle and reassuring sometimes that she would stupidly forget what sang beneath his cold smile. She never stopped hoping. Ire never did well for her. Anger died away in exhaustion whenever Aiko called her, panicking because Kamui tried to kill a fellow Captain. Whenever Kamui crawled to bed after three days of no contact –Takasugi, the Elders, Admiral duties– where he would sit, listen to her nagging until she felt blood seep into the covers from an open wound through his stomach. Whenever Kamui _was Kamui_ and she never learned anything.

She looked pensive, not pissed. She was waiting for the Admiral to pop out from a crowd of desperate social climbers.

Kageri stood still beside her, everything about him was _flowers_. Lilies covered his head, hydrangeas were his slacks, roses were glued around his vest and there were daisies stuck in the laces of his shoes. He was also attracting lots of bees which were absurd because they were in a ball of metal in the middle of space.

"Is this what it means to be a flower boy?" She asked, he couldn't move. He was basically a decoration that breathed lividity. She saw Kawakami Bansai in a same state in the other end of the table.

"Shut it, missy, you see this?" He wriggled and she saw the end of a gun peek from between roses. "I'm still on guard duty for guerillas. Being a flower boy is important. Abuto-san also said that we might holdup some rich assholes if everything went well. I get ten percent."

"That's it, I'm not going to stand beside you out of pity." Chiaki said and took steps away from him.

"It's not like I need your pity of anything!" The tower of flowers inched away from her as well. Then Kageri panicked. "Oh, crap, _wait! _Missy! Wait! They put those green carnivore flowers near my butt! One's sniffing my balls! HELP!"

Chiaki pretended not to hear because she caught the man stealing mothballs from Fridgeotto once.

The nurse peered at the mob of social climbers and sighed. Kamui was still entertaining them. She searched for a familiar face before Matako tapped her on the shoulders. She was munching on a red and white cup cake.

"I need to tell you something important. Check this out." The blonde struggled for a while and successfully pulled out a folded sheet of the Harusame Daily front page from her purse.

**MIDDLE AGED MAN WANTED FOR A CHAIN OF MURDERS**

_Shiotani Takae: Ninth Division Lieutenant_

_The Third Division Internal Department is asking for  
the public's help to find a man wanted for three murders  
of Elder Akamatsu, Fourth Division Gota and Assistant  
Quartermaster Hashimoto of HR._

_Physical evidence tie the murders to an individual with  
an issued 250, 000 dollar reward for capture._

_Investigators haven't been able to identify the suspect yet,  
they haven't been unable to locate him. The Internal  
Department advises non-combatant females to stay on high alert._

_Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Internal Dep at 137 – 9879._

Chiaki swallowed. "I know the assistant quartermaster." She hesitantly unfolded the newspaper. There was a creep of sickening suspicion rolling down her stomach that made her toes numb with cold. Three pictures, her eyes were trained to the last photo. Hashimoto –she never learned the first name– always wore her hair in a ponytail. She had nice green eyes and slightly purple hair.

The nurse blinked.

The rest of the victims were females. The rest of the victims had shades of pink as hair color.

It took two tries to say anything, but her mouth managed a "oh fuck." It meant she was disturbed but stable. Too many troubles had tied to her because of her stupid hair. She gave the paper back to Matako who was trying to reassure her. "I'm going to cut myself bald. Better yet, dye these strands black." The nurse said after silence, clutching her hair angrily.

She was not going to take any chances.

"Dye what strands?" Kamui smiled innocently from behind her.

Chiaki glared at him.

"You." She cleared her throat. Matako squeezed the nurse's arm and said something about orange slices before she took the longest route to the buffet table. He raised an eyebrow. "Me?" She sipped her fruit juice for courage. "You're the Admiral, you know about murders. How come I get to find out about a creep who has a fetish for pink hair from another person when we meet every night? Why didn't you tell me?" Her face was of outright suspicion and questioning. It didn't matter if one of them was sleeping whenever the other arrives.

She would wake the living daylights out of him if she found out someone was out giving killer erotic spankings to horses with braids because he had _braids._

He shook his head. "You don't need to know about those things. You're very well protected."

"Yes. I am aware." Her blood was pumping. "I am protected by hooligans such as that guy–" Chiaki pointed at Kageri who was a bouncing, screaming mess of flowers because the green carnivore thing has found his ball sack appetizing.

Kamui ignored his subordinate the same way he was ignoring Chiaki's angry looks.

"I'm not talking about _them._ I'm talking about myself." He held her free hand and the most of her irritation disappeared.

Music filled the air and five seconds later, everybody panicked in finding a partner. Chiaki looked at the throne and found Aiko defending Momoiro rather passionately from the detrimental quips the groom's family was throwing at her. The groom looked relieved, it seemed like he spent ninety percent of his relationship trying to defend his wife from judgement. He would have probably run for the hills if Aiko didn't show up.

Kamui pulled her to the dance floor. Chiaki knew how to dance since high school, they had classes for that. She didn't know he danced. She was going to ask him about it when he beat her to it with a different statement.

"I didn't like what you said to the Elder."

"Excuse me?" She said many things to the Elder as a reverend. His hand on her waist grew heavier. She understood his point with a sick turn of her stomach. He was talking about her little stunt at the altar, how she used religion as an opportunity to force the groom into tolerating Kamui. "You don't need to defend me." He said.

The tension slammed her back into tiring disappointment, watered with confusion and slight hate. "I wasn't defending you. I was doing my job." She always thought her job was more than a medic. She did his paperwork, folded his blankets, vouched for his honesty and made his meals when he became sick of the greasy things the cooks made for him.

"–which was never _that._" He was being stubborn. "Your job was to stick beside me and agree to everything that I say in public, acting as a united front for gullible fools like these people here." He made their relationship sound like a cheap thing.

"You're not even beside me half the time." He whispered.

"I'm not beside you because I'm busy. While you're off spending time with Takasugi, I'm also out burning brain cells with my other doctor friends because of that stupid plague. You get all the credit for it."

"Sir–" Chiaki couldn't help it. "I don't think this is the best time to ask this, what the fuck are you doing with Takasugi?"

"We want to destroy Edo." He said simply and Chiaki felt livid. "How the hell is that supposed to help you on your goal? I thought you wanted to be the 'strongest' of them all. Edo is swarming with toady politicians, are you getting yourself in politics?" Her grip on his shoulder tightened as well. Kamui's face remained unreadable.

He was hoping he could find respite in her company. He was beginning to get _tired_ of his fake smiles and equally fake schemes of flirtation. As the time passed by, he was quickly being shot by multiple reminders of how he hated social functions like these, of why he always asked the vice-captain to attend as proxy every time he received an invitation.

"Hmm. Getting myself in politics, does killing politicians include in that list?"

"Do killing obese money making politicians get you closer to your goal? Your own men are talking behind your back. What happened to dragging them into missions? I don't think he's a very good _friend_. You've been following him for too long. He says jump and you ask how high." She hesitated, pulled her shoulders back.

Chiaki guessed she overstepped her bounds so she was holding her breath when he snapped and said. "Well you're not entirely innocent are you?" His temper was smoldering. There was a pause then he dug his fingers down her waist, nails pressed through the thin black fabric. The nurse squinted, gritted her teeth and pulled against him while pained groans escaped her throat. She tried to pull back, music suddenly too loud for her. But he held her tight.

Kamui couldn't stop himself. He knew he was going over the edge; she was going to hit him after. She was going cry again. "I'm sure you have many _friends_ as well Chiaki. You spend a ridiculous amount of time away from the base, you managed to escape my men four times when they followed you. How many _friends_ am I sharing you with?" He immediately let go of her waist. He knew had gone too far. Kamui expected a slap, a punch, screaming.

Chiaki didn't looked away. The music faded. "You know what?" She said, she could feel every inhale and exhale, the knife edge of complete panic and hurt. "I expected this to happen. I just didn't know _when _or how or why. But I guess I'm disappointed that it came too soon." There was a bitter shadow on her face.

"I'm also disappointed that you actually had the fucking balls to imply that I cheated on you." She kept herself from screaming. Her knuckles were white so was his. The inches between them grew to miles. She didn't say anything for a moment. "You can have your cloak back." He smiled in a way that it burned. Eyebrows knitted, eyes livid and electric blue. "_I don't want it_" he hissed. Then he was gone like a ghost, footsteps unnaturally loud, tapping away the silence as he left.

The air was crisp, yellow chandelier lights blinding and Chiaki felt small. Kamui was a privilege and a curse, but they were together, it seemed like they worked and she thought last night –in the bath– that maybe she loved him and maybe he loved her back.

She found herself dismantled, gutted, felt very cold and very stupid.

"_Missy_ –Chiaki. Hey, are you alright?" She guessed Kageri could read how her shoulders were hunched, how her glass of juice was shattered on the floor. But it must be important because the Yato tried to sound worried. He also gave her another gun.

"Are we going to initiate a holdup?" She held the Glock numbly.

"No, Abuto-san actually found _real_ guerillas hired by a dickwad that the Admiral kicked in the ass once. He said to pair up with Aiko and scan the area, but be subtle, we don't want the wedding in ruins after." Kageri wasn't looking at her eyes. Fridgeotto was behind him.

Fridgeotto gave her a knife.

"How many are there?" She asked, wiping her sweaty hands down her black reverend coat. _It's not your job, remember?_

Kamui knew better than to hope that being abusive to Chiaki would result in anything other than her being abusive in return, making him despise the day he met her. He made his way to the exit of the room when somebody familiar stopped him in his tracks. "She was pretty, but in the end worth nothing." She held an oversized fan with striking colors. "The fact that she existed was a marvel to me. You should guard your heart more often."

Her eyes sparkled with delight. He stared at her for a moment.

"It is rude to listen to private conversations." His voice was perfectly under control. He could see Abuto approach him from behind her. The vice-captain was fully armed, his face a shade of anxiety and irritation.

"Not when you were screaming at each other. I couldn't help but notice that–"

"Sir." The vice-captain grunted. Mitsuko eyed his umbrella distastefully.

"–it's rude to interrupt. Who are you again?" She said innocently.

Abuto glared at her with blatant disgust because he had proper age, wisdom and he knew he could get away with anything. He made a considering noise, tapped the floorboards twice with the dangerous end of his umbrella and focused on his boss. Kamui was glowering. He saw the nurse earlier, slicing an enemies' throat in half –with the same fucking look in her face and he knew exactly what happened. "Hey, Admiral" The vice-captain nodded once to Kamui.

"You're having fun without me." Kamui was stiff as a board.

"Like hell I'll allow you to fight while you're pissed as hell, you don't have the subtlety for this. I want you to keep an eye down here in case it goes wrong. We don't know if they want to kill you." He looked over at the couple who was dancing. "Or them, but I still think it's you." He added. Abuto knew from experience that Kamui never did too well with orders. He always needed to be creative about it. Kamui could hear a gunshot aimed at him from miles away. This was a piece of cake. The easier way was to alert everyone and force them to leave, but a crowd this large had its drawbacks. Besides, the others were half-way done.

"If you start attacking people, I'll cut off your meat supply for a month." Abuto didn't have the jurisdiction to do that. But Kamui thought he had.

The vice-captain spotted Mitsuko clutch the Admiral's arm and made a clicking sound with his tongue.

"Where's the nurse?" The redhead asked before he could stop himself.

Abuto was not impressed. "You mean Chiaki? Well, fuck, she's hauling ass for you. _Now stay put._" Then the vice-captain left without another word.

Kamui felt something crack inside him.

The lady leaned closer to the Admiral. "Don't worry about her. You shouldn't have allowed pretty little hangers like her to gain status from you. You're far more intelligent, _strong_, and powerful. A lover of equal standing would suit you better."

Kamui said, "No," reflexively. He didn't know what was he forbidding or why wasn't he leaving as quickly as his legs will carry him.

"Open your mind." She persisted. "We have similar interests. I know what a man like you wants." He raised his eyebrow, she took it as encouragement. "You want power, fame, money. She can't offer any of those. A girl like her wouldn't understand what you do."

"Yes. She wouldn't." He sighed. "She–"

He paused because she _did_ understand what he wanted.

Kamui cursed.

Chiaki was human, a race that lived a fourth of the lifespan of Yato. They had succeeding morals, one as equally if not worse than the next that not just restricted, but sometimes banned them from reaching greater heights. Perhaps that was the reason why Kamui was fascinated with Takasugi, the man was different from the rest of the Humans he met in Earth. He wanted to see where his twisted ethics would lead him.

The nurse wasn't different. She was far more captivating. She evolved for the sake of his happiness. She threw away the possibility of a stable, safe and secure life on earth because he wanted her to. She made him promises that she would have not done if it wasn't asked by him. Her gullible self that he maneuvered into his command grew so much more than the pawn he had anticipated. She had grown to become someone he trusted, someone who wouldn't _hurt_ him without good reason.

Kamui thought that his heart must be a secret only to himself and that everyone knew the stupid smiles and the hurtful string of insults he let out on a daily basis was an act. In reality, the people he hurt the most had carved spaces for themselves in his chest, Aiko and Kageri, even the Fridge guy. All of them, Abuto sat beneath everyone on the hollow where he had kept empty for his father and Chiaki has stained her space with disgusting coffee and ridiculous keychains.

And never was she so stubborn until now. When she found something completely_ wrong _and if he just_ listened._ Kamui knew that he could make any excuse for his behavior, but whatever he did he had been the blind, jealous one in the end.

His thoughts shifted into reality and two things hit him. He was the largest idiot in the ship and he really needed to kill people.

"Do you know what they called her when you're not around?" Mitsuko went on. He forgot that she was standing beside him. She gave him a smile of gleeful spite that he wished he could have punched her too.

"They call her doctor. Do you know what everybody calls you when you're not around?" He tilted his head innocently at the side.

She touched a hand over her chest. "What do they call me?"

Kamui grinned, eyes shut with his palms stuck together. "_A fucking whore._" Her jaw dropped. The Admiral turned and strode to the stairs where the majority of assholes that crammed their way into his chest fought for his safety.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN:** I'm really sorry for not updating for … six months. It's embarrassing and I should be culled for this but terrible things happened and I had to stop writing for a while.

Also, I tried rereading some of my previous chapters to get the gist of what I already wrote and what I haven't since my notes for this fanfiction got lost. I have to admit that I have TONS of errors. I have LONG sentences that are a pain to read, lots of missing conjunctions, missing words, missing _sentences_ and my abuse of the comma that made the entire story hella confusing. There were entire paragraphs that didn't make sense to me. I unknowingly used medical jargon too.

For a week I debated on rewriting but I decided against it. I will keep all these mistakes.

I will also put effort in finding someone who'll proofread the next time I write because if I was a wandering reader, I don't think I'll settle down for this fanfiction.

I am very sorry.

ALSO: LOOKAT THESE BEAUTIES:

" s ta . sh / 0aertqsxks5" by Kurozu21

"fav . me/d8vbzjn" by Xantie

I cannot stress how happy I feel right now.

Please enjoy my humblest of updates:

* * *

Chapter 21

Screams erupted all over.

The wedding was still intact but a few floors above, Abuto stood in the middle of forty crumpled bodies. Eyes alert with a manic grin, his palms faced the ceiling as his fingers dripped with blood. Not far from where he stood, Fridgeotto slit the throat of another armed individual. All in all, they looked like devils.

"Abuto-san, there are three more heading to the emergency exits downstairs!" Chiaki was two floors below them. She sat in a guard room with monitors submitting live feed of surveillance cameras. She held her phone near her mouth and yelled orders.

"I see three nearing the emergency exits!"

"I'll do it!" Kageri answered with his own phone and the nurse had to look away from a monitor not wanting to see him whirl through the air and rip heads off.

Chiaki forced her breathing to calm down. Her job was to oversee movement of the enemies. _Weak_ enemies it turned out. The Yato was a powerful race, the best among mercenaries. It didn't make sense to send men against them that weren't at least in the level of a demon.

Something was amiss.

"Do you see anything?" Abuto's voice was quaking.

"Nothing yet." She whispered. "Worst case scenario is; the mastermind is in the wedding, waiting for an opportunity to go in for a kill… But Matako hasn't said anything yet."

"A likely scenario" Kageri said. "I suggest you run back there. Our hands are full."

Chiaki swallowed. "I can't go. My hands are full too –_Fridgeotto behind you!"_

"Kageri, shut the fuck up and _you_ get to the wedding." Abuto yelled.

Kageri's reaction was to whine like a kid who didn't get what he wanted but nobody gave a shit about what Kageri wanted. He said in a really bratty voice, "fine, but I can't guarantee that I won't mock at least a dozen of those fancy teabagging guests."

The nurse leaned back into her seat and scowled when she saw another group of seven armed men run toward Abuto and Fridgeotto's direction before they stopped. The leader of the group placed his finger pads directly on his right ear and changed direction. She quickly gave Fridgeotto directions and numbly watched as he dispatched the men with terrifying precision.

"_Someone is giving them orders…"_ Chiaki frowned.

"Fridgeotto-san, please check their ears, there should be a communication device of some sort." She asked and watched her comrade lean down to a decapitated head. He gingerly pulled the ear of the head until an earpiece popped out. Chiaki held her breath as he listened to the earpiece.

"…Good day to your sir, this is the shopping center, your order of gargantuan sized a*al plugs has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances" Fridgeotto's voice was liquid calm, but nobody replied except for the beeping tone of an abandoned call. "No luck on this one." He crushed the device between his blood caked fingers and began moving to cover ground.

"You're fucking disgusting!" Abuto heard everything.

"Abuto-san, someone can see what I'm seeing. Enemy movements are being controlled by someone who knows where I'm placing you –ah! Go two rooms on your left, someone's there– the surveillance feed might be hacked." She said.

"Bullshit." Abuto was running at full speed. "Does this look like Mission Impossible to you? You can't hack surveillance."

"Is there a separate guard room?" She stood from her seat.

"Ah, _yes_." The vice-captain flew in the air, with his two feet bound together; he slammed himself into the opponent. The enemy was able to shield himself with his arms, but his body skidded five meters from where he stood. "Oho! Found a good one!" He cheered.

"Fridgeotto, west wing elevators, now" Chiaki was terrified.

"Sure." He replied and his view dashed through the cameras like a bird in flight.

"Where is the other room?" She asked the vice-captain. He flipped twice in the air before he pierced his enemy with his right hand. His left still held his phone by his ear.

"It's near the main room where the wedding is, four doors from the altar's left, the one facing the comfort rooms." Abuto clicked his tongue and kicked at the floor tiles. He grinned when a tile flew and crushed against a man's face.

Chiaki's eyes followed the cameras. "Kageri are you already at the wedding?"

Kageri replied almost immediately. "I was but I got kicked out cus I'm leaking blood all over, plus the Admiral's pissed when he saw me. Said some shit about not having fun–"

Her heart sank in disappointment, _of course_ Kamui would be. Part of the reason why she couldn't keep her nerves down was the still throbbing pain of what happened earlier, and there he was, getting peeved he couldn't _murder._ She gritted her teeth in frustration. "– this is bad missy, the stupid ass security guards ain't wanna let me back. I'll cause a scene if I force myself in. They're not really buying the 'spilled tomato juice' reason for all the bloodstains since I blatantly announced to the ladies at the buffet table that I was purely carnivorous an–"

"For fuck's sake, shut up, we get the point." Abuto growled.

"Abuto, Fridgeotto, do you have bloodstains as well?"

"Yeah."

"No shit."

"Abuto-san, what's the best course of action?" Chiaki asked, no matter how she looked at it, she was the most inexperienced among the three. She was merely support, someone who could only fight as a human, someone who couldn't defeat an opponent twice the strength if luck and planning was at her side.

Abuto was eerily silent for a while.

"Geez, I dunno, my plan was to follow your plan, I'm still sorta drunk and my face hurts."

Judging by his tone, he was just being lazy. Chiaki wanted to punch him.

She couldn't use Aiko. He was guarding the newlyweds. If the pair was the target and an accident happened. Kamui would be the one who'd be tossed in the frying pan for not excelling in the 'security' department. Soon, rumors would unfold and he would be stripped from his position. Kageri was already causing a scene and she couldn't remove Aiko and Fridgeotto from the upper floors.

"Kageri, let's switch positions. Abuto-san, guard the east wing entrance. Frigeotto-san, take the west. In two minutes, Abuto should immediately transfer to the north, Frigeotto to the south. You should expect enemies coming from both doors. Kageri, you have a minute to arrive here and change plans if my assumptions were wrong." She bit her lip. "_Everyone, move._"

Whoever the enemy was, he chose evasion as a tactic. He used the East and West entrances to get the gunmen down the main stairs a few corners away. Chiaki tried to pursue the enemy but they seemed to appear from nowhere. Since the manipulator chose to move away from Abuto and Fridgeotto, he would change entrances to North and South. Kageri would have already replaced her once the enemy realizes his mistake.

"Chiaki, you have to bring the shit-faced Admiral with you in case the opponent is too strong." Abuto wasn't afraid of her being difficult. He was afraid of Kamui making things complicated.

He heard her sigh, or maybe it was her wheezing because she was running down the stairs in full speed. Chiaki wished Abuto had thought of a nicer, healthier plan that didn't involve her meeting with Kamui. She wasn't ready for anything he might throw her way yet. Calling someone else would take too long.

"Yeah, sure."

Abuto blinked. That was unexpectedly easier than anticipated.

Chiaki hasn't fully understood the language of Kamui's eyes so she didn't comprehend what his gaze meant when she ran up to his tense figure with her hands and knees ragged and raw. Tiny specks of blood stained her neck and her hair was plastered to her face.

He saw her rush from the main doors and his expression immediately switched to from a smile to nothing. The nurse felt her heart break into a million pieces. Kamui was speaking to a taller, older gentleman in a blue suit. Chiaki wasted no time and intervened. She had a mission to fulfill.

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your conversation sir, but the Admiral has something urgent to attend to." She dipped into a graceful bow.

The captain of the tenth division smiled pleasantly. "Ah, Chiaki." He knew her and she knew him. It was only three weeks ago when she found herself playing chess with the man. He was still a cheat and she still refused to make bets. "Why the rush? How are you?" His small grin gave her shivers, creepy shivers. The pressure of Captain Jiji's presence was enough to make a goat give birth early.

"I'm fine, sir, but I have to apologize. This emergency is _classified._" She grinned back and the old blue man paused before his six arms shook and he laughed. "_Ohohohohoho_, it's alright, you young things go do your business." Without the hint of reluctance, Captain Jiji strolled pass the pair and disappeared into the crowd. Kamui's sigh made it clear that he was not disappointed that their conversation was cut short.

She shouldn't have looked directly toward Kamui's face.

It was apathetic. Like she was the only one bothered by their recent argument.

Her throat was raw and her stomach felt like ice. He wasn't the only one who screwed up. She did too, for agreeing to everything. She felt like a huge idiot. With apparent embarrassment and anger fueling her, she couldn't help but think that it was a mistake to have allowed herself to become too close to the Admiral.

Maybe she would feel different if she was in a better mood and not trying to bring down a terrorist, but the blank look in his face said otherwise.

She heard Kamui crunched his fingers and suddenly felt as if her life was about to be taken my none other than him.

"Abuto-san, I've gotten the Admiral." She refused to look at him. "We're on our way, how does it look in your end."

There was a sound of ruffling, a _squish_. Abuto murmured to the enemy something about quizzes and he replied with: "What? My end?" more shuffling "My end is still stinky as hell. Don't you have any remedy for–" She moved her phone away. If he had the time to make jokes, that meant they were _fine._

"Reinforcements?" She asked Kageri.

"Ten minutes away, there's like a rally about gross canteen food going down at the intersection. Our troops can only shove off a number of nutritionists at a time." Chiaki smiled a little.

"I appreciate it, but now's not the time to be doing jokes."

"Eh? Who said we're doing jokes for your sake? The world doesn't revolve around you." Abuto yelled.

"I never said 'my sake'. Quit assuming. " She rolled her overly damp eyes.

"So." Chiaki focused on Kamui, ready to explain what the hell was happening before he grinned and held up his Iphone that tapped into their calls like it was nobody's business. He was listening all along. Sneaky move. Then the both of them left for the surveillance room without anyone noticing.

In the back of her mind, she couldn't fathom why he waited for her. She knew Kamui wouldn't spare a second for bloodshed. She shook the thoughts off her head.

Kamui ran faster. Chiaki was at a losing pace. He turned and grinned barbwire when the door of the guard room burst open and a young man ran out horrified. The poor guy must have seen them coming from the cameras. He let out a strangled yell, arms flailing out as his boots scuttled against the slippery floor in terror. The man was able to take two desperate steps away from Kamui before he dug his fingers on the man's shoulder and dragged the screaming man backward. The force broke his arm into two and he slid off crying in pain before Chiaki caught up and knelt beside his writhing form.

She palmed his face and hissed into his ear.

"_SHUT UP._" She tried to push him down, but he sat up, looked at the mess that was his arm and screamed. Any louder and the guests would hear him.

"Ohmygod Chiaki, shut him up!" Abuto was yelling through her phone in her pocket. He was loud enough that the rest heard him in their phones.

"Eiji! _Eiji!_" The panicked man scratched away manically for help. He was getting louder by the second. Chiaki couldn't keep him quiet. She turned her head around to ask for help when Kamui's foot collided with the man's jaw. With an explosive crunch, most of his jaw and his cheekbones showered the adjacent wall. His blood drenched her clothes.

"Why did you do that?" She wouldn't be able to forget this. The body was convulsing.

"You wanted to ask me to shut him up." Kamui smiled with his eyes shut. She couldn't feel angry, not now. The man was still wearing his earpiece when he was knocked out. All enemies knew what happened then. Chiaki shut her bleary eyes. Two things, would happen, either the enemy would fall back or they would turn desperate and initiate their plans without warning.

"Hmm, Chiaki, did you ever think of _interrogating_ any of these men?" Kamui experimentally poked the unconscious guy with his foot.

She wanted to vomit. This was the man whose affections she wanted to win. "No one would talk, we tried, they barely knew anything. Abuto-san found out that they were following orders for money, sent from a secluded account. They were asked to assemble at the wedding so we're trying our best to stop that." She started making her way to the party. Kamui followed suit.

"Do you have a plan?"

She stopped. "I have sort of a plan."

"Is it a _good one?_" His voice was humorous. The transparency that she was the only one getting riled up made her stomach churn. Why won't he take anything seriously? Why wasn't anyone taking it seriously? Chiaki put the phone to speaker mode and asked if the name Eiji set any red flags.

"Shit, we're going down there, motherfucker's holding a grudge against the elder, _I thought he was already put to jail_. Chiaki, get back and inform Aiko." Chiaki ran half a step before Kamui tugged the back of her shirt, bringing her into a pause. Her eyes met his.

"Admi-"

Her words were cut when his palm slammed into the middle of her chest. Her back hit the wall painfully; the recoil whipped her head forward where it unintentionally made hard contact with his chin. To say that it was uncomfortable was an understatement. The blood from her top soaked to his palm. His palm dug in her sternum hard enough that she was afraid a wrong move would send his arm to reduce her torso in pieces.

"Now, now. This won't do at all." He shook his head. "I didn't expect you to be in a level weak enough to begin avoiding me after a little argument. Didn't you always face your problems head on? What happened to that principle of yours?" He leaned in close enough that there were only centimeters between them.

Chiaki swallowed, her face was down and her bangs covered her eyes.

Kamui's other hand landed softly on top of her skull.

"Well, it doesn't matter now, doesn't it? I'm here to apologize." He said simply. She would have felt relieved but it didn't seem like she had any choice. If he wanted to apologize, it felt as if it was everyone's responsibility to forgive him.

"We need to help them." Her voice was small.

"Abuto and the other can handle it on their own, they're most likely here by now."

"If you are going to depend everyone else's safety on 'most likely' then you're more incompetent as a leader than what I had thought you were." She snapped.

"There is that assumption and another where I trust my men enough to know what they are capable of." He sounded irritated.

The pressure around her chest loosened as he let go. But the inward emotional pain didn't. Chiaki didn't move an inch.

"Well?" Kamui crossed his arms, finally letting her go. His face was still the same. _Still the same._ Smiling, like he expected everyone to understand. However his dismal eyes and inscrutable countenance gave little away.

She decided then that she was going to shove back.

"Don't expect me to forgive you easily for every stupid little mistake that you do." His eyes widened in surprise. He saw her ball her fists angrily. Her teeth grit and when she finally lifted her head to meet his eyes. He didn't realize that he began holding his breath.

"How _dare you_." She was shaking. "…Do you have any idea how _painful _it was to hear that after all I've done, you'd think of me so shallow that I will cheat on you."

"After how I ignored all those rumors, after all my efforts for your sake, after I cleaned up your messes you still doubted me? …Do I look like an idiot to you? _Did you seriously think that I am a whore? _Well… screw you Kamui. I guess in the end it wasn't just me who saw how stupid this entire arrangement was." She seethed. "…But I get it now... _I get it._" Her voice cracked and she rubbed her eyes with the base of her palms.

"I assumed like an idiot that you could accept me for what I am, how weak and pathetic I am compared to you all, how I don't seem to belong anywhere… But I guess my insecurities, as pitiful as they were, weren't unfounded." She sounded so weak and he hated it.

"…In the end, whether it was genuine or not, after you said what you thought about me… I feel like all of this was a joke." Chiaki's unstable breathing was all that could be heard for a long tense moment.

"I think it would be for the best if end this."

Kamui didn't say anything. He just stared, stared at her soft crying features and at his hands, its calluses and all the lines that scarred it. When Hosen died, he said to himself, 'you shall not feel hate, nor feel love. You are neither your father nor your teacher. You will never be like them, you shall never be pathetic like them.'

Chiaki's principles were 'serve to the extent of ability', 'do things for the greater good', 'myself before strangers'.

Abuto's principles were 'I will preserve my clan', 'I will be useful' and 'I will be loyal.'

Kamui's principles were 'I will be strongest' , 'I will not hesitate' and 'forward is the only way.'

It seemed simple at first, but unlike the first two, his were bound together by the fact that he wanted to give himself a wide berth from what his superiors ended up being. It would have been easier if he made her vanish. Yet if he did, it felt like he was walking one step closer to the two people who molded his fate. So Kamui did the only think he could think of.

He grabbed the wrist of her right hand tightly, very tightly that she wasn't to shake him off.

And slapped himself with her forced open palm.

"I'm sorry."

_Slap_

"Chiaki, I'm sorry."

_Slap_

"I'm so sorry."

_**Slap**_

It hurt her less than it hurt him, but it was painful for the both of them nonetheless. It was fitting, he thought. It was his as well as her fault and the both of them should pay the price.

"Kamui, please stop." She whispered. Kamui realized after a little while that her tears were not cold, they were warm and painful, just like his. But at the same time, his heartbeat stopped for the longest of time. But not enough for him to remember why he had a heart and _when _he began considering how he felt off battles. Was it after Abuto picked him from the streets? Was it after Umibozu crushed his head on the pavement, painting him black? Was it after Chiaki held his hands at night, saying things like, 'I like you'?

"Before we fought, I felt ridiculed about how you inquired of my affiliations with the Kiheitai boss. One thing led to another… and I guess I wanted you hurt too." It sounded petty, and it was. "We are always arguing. I thought I knew your limits. I was not able to anticipate that my insult would hurt you to this extent." He let go of her completely to see if she was going to run off.

"If you forgive me, I'll be more careful. I swear to that."

Chiaki didn't and he felt a surge of relief, but she was silent. It was painfully clear that he was attempting to give her a choice, and that it was genuine. Kamui learned quickly, but he needed to be shoved in the line of fire to understand.

"Do you… do you want to go back?"

She looked up to him. The question was too vague and her chest lurched when she considered the possibilities.

"Do you want to go back to Edo?" Kamui echoed the words dispassionately. If she was unhappy, then he wasn't going to force her. He was giving her a legit choice. He twisted his mouth into a crude angle that barely resembled a smile. Her decision will be followed. However, how she made everything look so vivid and sentimental, how she made adjustments to his perspectives that were small enough to make him reconsider the slight changes of values he had today will stay with him until he died.

She remembered the way she looked at the road to home.

"You're so frustrating." Chiaki wrapped her fingers together. "I've seen how you treat your subordinates. You barely listen; you'd kill anyone if they're in your way. I know how you treat your family. You're a dangerous person and I know you won't change…Why I want to see you succeed… Why I want to follow you… Why I want your approval and affection is beyond me."

Somehow, he found his fingers between her cold ones.

"Kamui, I don't want to go back to Edo but I know that I can't stay." She was breaking promises. She intended not to leave, at all. But the more she thought about it, the worse her promise sounded.

The silence was long and heavy.

"No matter how you look at it, as your subordinate I am a burden more than an aid." Kamui was about to say something but she blocked it. "Don't try to get me out of this, I might have done a number of help but I'm still useless in the battlefields, I can assist, I can heal but no matter what, I will never gain the respect from you or your men. The Yato will never respect me." She squeezed his hand.

His eyes said that he didn't care what the Yato thought.

"There might come a time when you'll have to leave me behind and _I know_ you said it yourself that you will never look back. I will be a hindrance you'd want to throw off. I will not be able to do anything for you." Small things, yes, she could do all those small things. But the universe had a way of showing her that if she wasn't there, better results would have surfaced, for the Yato at least. Less trouble for everyone, less dragging.

"This will be the better option out of-" She began but Kamui raised his free hand.

"You have made it obvious that I cannot argue with your conviction." He began. "You say that as _my subordinate_, you believe yourself to be of less use. I will neither deny nor agree."

Kamui stood firm in his ground. "However, if you wish to stay here, you won't work as my subordinate any longer. You will not be thrown into war nor will be tasked to aid the wounded."

"Am I going to be your official laundry washer? Will I finally be paid enough wages?" She said with dark humor.

The Admiral shook his head and took one step closer.

"I'm asking you to be my official partner. No hiding, no more rumors. You will stay by me and when the time comes that I have rid myself of the Harusame. You will marry me."

* * *

**A Day Later:**

Freezing was an understatement. Chiaki eyed Abuto with mild jealousy as he stood in the docking port dressed in his usual garb without feeling an inch of cold in his system. She crouched down to conserve as much heat as possible while she tried her best to tally the arriving Yato. She was ignored by the burly men. Something she felt grateful for. She figured that it was an acquired skill to remain invisible when surrounded by the mercenary group, not while they were fighting of course, she would be crushed. While it was a comforting thought that the vice-captain was there to kick her back to health if she fell prey to hypothermia, (not metaphorically speaking). She felt antsy since yesterday. Aside from the shock of Kamui's sudden proposal, she felt that someone was shadowing her.

Abuto's pet, Abudog* sat between them with precise focus. The dog** nudged Chiaki for treats.

She obliged.

"I wasn't able to ask what happened to the guerillas." She looked up at Abuto, whose eye bags have tripled in size.

"They're dead." He said casually.

"… How about the mastermind? What happened to him?"

"He is now a corpse."

"… How about your girlfriend? Did you get dumped again?"

Abuto looked down at her sourly.

"Do you want to be a corpse?"

"No."

"Shut the fuck up."

Chiaki waited ten whole minutes before she opened her mouth once more. The newly married couple from the last chapter went away in a fancy honeymoon trip. Aiko followed them to get an advantageous and controversial scoop for the Harusame Daily and the remaining Yato that she knew thought of her as too much of a bother.

She only had Abuto left as a "friend".

"Abuto-san, if I ride the ship tonight for Edo Terminal. How long would it take me to get there?"

Abuto's obvious annoyance steamed off a little. There was a reason she was in Abuto's company right now. She was on watch. She never did give an answer to Kamui when he asked her in his own way to give up on her dreams and stay. It wasn't the first time he tried to convey those words. It _was_ the first time though, that he was serious about it. There was always a glint in his eyes in the past that gave away his anticipation for amusement in her responses.

After she requested for time, Kamui's right hand man had been glued to her. Trust Kamui to suspect that she would leave him without a word.

"Four days and seven hours if I was not instructed to babysit you." It would have sounded rude if he wasn't dead tired. She was used to it anyway.

She went back and counted the remaining men and kept quiet as Abuto did his routinely job. She needed to make a decision, a good one. Kamui made himself busy with work and she did not have the bravery to go near his quarters anyway. However, the deadline she set with herself was very near. Her heart said yes, but the unforeseeable future drew a big no.

She saw the opportunity to talk to him when less people surrounded them. Abuto was, after all, someone anyone could count upon explaining matters clearly.

Abuto washed blood off his hands after beating a few new recruits into submission. "Always the stupid questions with you, the answer lies on the value you see yourself in. The Admiral will forever be the Admiral. The real question is if you are willing to settle for someone who is tainted with black since childhood. To dirty your hands longer than required. In my eyes, the both of you are still children, you more than him. You will have to permanently tie your life with his."

And,

"Love? I cannot answer that. My parents were absent my entire life. Hah. You already know that you'll have to make do with what he gives you right now. You'll have to settle for that if you're stubborn. Not such a tough choice, right? He's giving you a free pass home. It's just a quiz."

And,

"He's slowly finding that most people matter, not just the ones capable in fighting."

And,

"Fucking hell, he scares the shit out of me as well."

"But you still follow him around without question." Chiaki answered.

"Yes, that's my job." He countered with an expression that refused to elaborate.

"I realized, for a while now, that I might love him. But I'm scared of the damage I will cause, how selfish both of the decisions are."

Abuto thought for a moment. "You'll have to decide balancing life and death with us or risk going back home only to find that you should have stayed. Is that what you're thinking?"

"Yes, and if I die, Kamui will live knowing that I would have survived if I refused." She muttered.

"And to live your boring life in Edo thinking that you could have spent it with us, gross smelly pirates, is as equally sad." He rubbed his chin. "Selfishly speaking though, if you die and put loads of blame on him, wouldn't it make him into a better person? He might become a martyr. Lives would be saved. Unfortunately, you would have saved lives anyway if you went home." He continued, emphasizing her thick lab gown.

Abuto yawned. Rather than following her, he dragged her around his work all day. It was near his bed time already.

"I don't know why you're having a difficult time. Like I said, it's just a quiz. Only with two same answers. And we both know that you had your mind set since the beginning."

Chiaki fiddled with her clean fingernails that were always cut short. Then slowly, she nodded.

"I want to be as cool as you."

"No." Abuto said firmly, albeit a little proudly. "Admiral Nincompoop wouldn't be able to take it."

There was also the fact that.

"Abuto-san, someone has been following us since morning."

"Ignore it."

Chiaki used his cloak to wipe her sweaty hands. Sweaty hands were not for battles. Umbrellas slip from grasps, enemies slip from grasps and one is bound to slip whilst jumping from a ledge to another.

Abuto kicked her in the torso. She blocked it.

Someone clapped, "you have a set of keen senses my dear" the stranger said, stepping out from the shadows. Abuto tensed in a way that made his dog run off whining as if in pain made her skin crawl with terror. She knew from the sound of the man's footsteps that he was a full bred Yato. He moved the exact same way like Kamui when he wanted to play tricks on her. If a Yato wanted to stay undetected he could stay hidden for days if he liked. You had to know what to listen to if you wanted to find them.

The stranger raised his hand as if signaling for peace. Abuto didn't relax, but he didn't attack as well.

"Long time no see boy. How's my son?" The Yato was about her height. He was dressed similarly to Abuto, but with broader shoulders, a square moustache and a head covered with a brown hat.

Umibozu spoke to Abuto, but his eyes were set on Chiaki. There was worn out paperback novel of Romance in the Galaxies under his left arm and a deadly weapon on mass destruction –a yellow parasol– on his right, pointed directly at her.

'_He's aiming to shoot isn't he?'_ She shifted her weight on her dominant leg, ready to dash on the slightest hint of applied hostility.

A split second passed and Umibozu hurled out projectile yellow green vomit on the floor. He dropped the sappy romance novel and proceeded to forcefully hack his lunch off his stomach. Umibozu snapped his head in Chiaki's direction, his free hand pointed at her accusingly. "You!" He announced, taking a step forward before he slipped around his own stinking vomit and dropped on the ground like a sack of dirt.

Chiaki had never smelled anything so bad. A foul stench only made possible by alcohol and rotted bits of food and body parts –more body parts than food. She knew that most of the older Yato were forgetful when it came to baths. But they do wash themselves when something reminded them, like a solar eclipse for example.

Umibozu had mixed feelings when he encountered the novel that featured his son as a protagonist. He expected death, blood, gore, the occasional lecture about obscure Yato traditions and more death. So he had to drown himself with the strongest bottle of spirits available when he read the phrase. '_Kamui and his six pack wonder abs flew from the dangerous and flaming ship in order to bravely rescue the lustrous Chiaki from the sinewy arms of death.'_

"Abuto-san, shouldn't we take this opportunity to attack the drunk loser?"

"Do you even know who this guy is?"

Chiaki tried to think.

"A drunken loser?"

"Don't talk like I'm not here." Umibozu growled.

Then it clicked. There was something awfully familiar about the way Umibozu glared at her. Those soulless eyes, the way it seemed to dissect her thoughts, piece by piece.

***"You're that guy in the hair growth commercial! I love that commercial!" Chiaki beamed. "Hey, hey, commercial actor-san, would you sign my umbrella for me?" She joyously presented her very polished umbrella.

* * *

* Abuto is a large fan of dogs

** Abudog is not a space dog

***She is referring to episode 96 of Gintama where the entire time slot was spent on Umibozu's hair growth commercial.

* * *

Abuto whacked her in the head.

Umibozu looked confused.

"Wait a second." Kamui's father picked up the worn out novel from the floor and opened a dog eared page with precision. It took him no time to find the bits he hated the most: _'Kamui stood in the radiance of the moonlight as the wind whipped his majestic mane flawlessly in the night. He had absolutely no signs of balding at all. 'I'm glad you're not bald.' Chiaki lovingly stroked his muscular arm. 'Bald people are gross.'_

He also went to page 453:

_Chiaki grinned. 'Bald people should die'_

He also went to the page after that:

_Abuto scratched his head with unkempt fingernails that Kamui never had, because he is flawless. 'I might have lice because of my disgusting mullet' Abuto thought. '… At least I'm not bald!' he continued. 'Bald people should die!'_

Umibozu shut the book.

She knew that her own smile was false when she said, "Come on Abuto-san! Just one picture with Umibozu-san! He was in that commercial! He was awesome! Stop looking at me like I'm insane! The commercial went to the big screen! It had four Oscar awards!" Abuto, being the loyal soldier he was dragged her back while she braved the smell of his body odor.

Abuto knocked her out.

"What exactly are you doing here?" Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to render the girl unconscious. Abuto found a hole in the tile ground and shoved Chiaki inside in case a fight ensued. The vice-captain knew Kamui's father by reputation and while he would never admit it, he knew the man personally.

He wasn't happy at all.

Umibozu tucked the book under his belt. "I was asked by the entire population of a village to hunt down a villain that's hiding in the Harusame." Kamui never knew this, but the two Yato had fought twice in the past. Umibozu despised Abuto for holding back. He always did.

"Would it be rude for me to ask you to leave? I'll even allow you to use my personal ship." Abuto bargained.

"It would if I was my past self." Umibozu crossed his arms.

"Ho, so you're a changed man now, you say? What about your son? What are you going to do if he finds you here?" Abuto relaxed for a bit.

"Kamui will not find me, nor do I intend to look for him. I already told you what I came here for, now let me pass."

Abuto nodded reluctantly and moved to the side as a sign of peace. Umibozu nodded, his eyes still trained suspiciously at Chiaki's unconscious form. Kamui's father was halfway on the room before he blinked nervously and turned back to Abuto, who was dragged the nurse off the ditch by her shirt. She mumbled a few cuss words before he dropped her on the ground. The vice-captain was glad about that, lying in her own drool was the least of what she deserved.

"She's the girl you picked up from Edo isn't she?" Umibozu remarked.

"I'm glad you're keeping yourself with the times, Umibozu-san. But this is none of your business."

"It is mine more than yours." He cleared his throat. "_I will not allow my precious son to spend his life with a strumpet such as hers!" _He yelled as he threw Romance in the Galaxies on the ground and continuously stepped on the book with unadulterated malice.

Abuto picked his nose. "All fiction are exaggerated 5000% to boost sales."

"You don't have proof of that! She could be, she could be– " Umibozu hurriedly picked up the book and read page 195._ "Chiaki's perfectly manicured nails scraped Kamui's perfect abdominal muscles. They've only met for two weeks and she has made Kamui desperate for some lovin'"_ It was apparent that Umibozu was embarrassed as fuck.

The vice-captain winced. "Have you finished the entire book?" He said with calmness that he knew annoyed everyone.

"No, why do you think I was drunk?_ Why is this trash a bestseller?!_"

"Read a portion of the last few bits of the book."

The book was whacked open. _'Umibozu, the great alien hunter, with a head full of thick black shiny hair and a body to die for dodged the squid people's attack with enough grace to put a truck load of kidnapped ballerinas to humiliation. Umibozu also doesn't have watery bowel movement and is loved by females around the universe for his perfect hair.' _The book was whacked shut.

"Uhmm… this novel was published here right? So you know the writer right?" Umibozu scratched his chin.

Abuto raised an eyebrow.

"I want to fund production of this masterpiece."

Abuto wasn't suicidal, but he had multiple urges.

* * *

"That was utterly stupid." The vice-captain dragged Chiaki by her left foot. Her back burned against the floor's friction. "You can stop pretending to be unconscious now." He looked at her and stopped. Her face was dripping with tears.

She kicked his grip off her foot and stood up. "He had no right to call Kamui his son." Her burst of fangirling was all an act and Abuto saw right through it. "And you had no right to attempt to shoot him." Chiaki never wanted a picture with the baldy. She was furious and she welcomed evil thoughts in her head, allowed it to poison her nerves so easily.

"When the Admiral was a snotty brat, he attacked his father, it was his own will and if even he blames Umibozu for his actions, the final decision was up to him."

"But what kind of father allows his kid to gather dark enough thoughts to want to kill him."

"What kind of son submits to it so easily."

Chiaki looked down. "I wasn't trying to shoot Kamui's dad, but I wanted to hurt him a little." It was shameful, stupid even. It was good that Abuto intervened. "I'm sorry, Abuto-san."

"Sorry too."

"Sorry for what?" Chiaki asked.

"For this."

He grinned and the next thing she knew, he spun in a half circle and kicked her in the stomach. The momentum of his kick threw her backward into an office. She rolled like a beach ball before she crashed into a sturdy desk. After a little glaring and cussing, she dusted herself off and… met eyes with Kamui who was vandalizing his right hand man's desk with scraggly drawings of the male organ with the use of Abuto's very limited supply of hemorrhoid cream.

Chiaki crouched away from Kamui's eyesight and quickly fixed the state of her hair and clothes before she stood up again and smiled.

The room felt strangely quiet, save from her rapid heartbeat.

"Good evening." She said out of habit.

For a moment, many things stood still and the air was cold. Kamui crossed his arms. "I assume you have made your decision."

She smiled. "I have, but I need to make some things certain before I stay." It felt like the first time she went into Kamui's office. She felt chilly sweat run down her back.

"Well?"

"I know of your traditions and the ways you treat women. If I am going to be hidden away and ignored until I'm needed to please you. I will leave." She said.

"It would be a waste to treat you like that. You receive responsibilities and as my… partner, I will listen to your judgement before I act." It was difficult for her to watch him react to the idea that he was going to have someone stay by him as a loved one.

She tried to keep her voice level. "There are times where you frighten me. I want your word that if I make mistakes, if I cross the line or if I go too far, you'll try and forgive me."

"I will not raise my hand against you." He promised.

"Or blackmail me by burning my possessions."

"I will not burn your possessions."

"Or the people that I care for." She said quickly.

Kamui's lips flattened. "Or those people…"

She thought of Abudog.

"Don't harm the pets of my friends as well if you want me to agree on something…"

"That sorry excuse of a dog will not be harmed."

Chiaki was hesitant to speak.

"We can't have kids, it's not possible. Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah." Kamui stood from his seat and approached her. He knew that from the beginning.

Although she always told herself not to cry, she had the overwhelming urge to.

"Do you have any requests for me?"

Kamui nodded and squeezed her hands. "We are different people, and some of our logic does not apply to the common laws, aside from the battlefields, hit me with wisdom before I screw up, will you?"

Chiaki was tearing up. Out of nowhere, he opened his arms and she hugged him tight. They were children compared to most inhabitants of the Harusame, or even the Yato themselves. A pair of annoying, impulsive kids who did whatever they want. Kamui smiled when felt it. It was something held back and so warm it that it must be love.

She didn't say, _"I love you." _She said, "I'll stay for as long as I can" because that was the response he needed. He allowed himself to hug her tight. He might have kissed her a forehead but no one aside from them witnessed.

Maybe not

After minute of exchanging remarks and certain evening plans, Kamui's patience snapped.

There wasn't a Yato that existed who didn't know of leverage. He grabbed the edge of Abuto's desk and hurled the entire thing with its papers, dick drawings and ink bottles toward the door without warning. There was a cacophony of skidding leather outside, an uproar of manly yells and the table slammed into the office door. It banged open and almost squeezed the life out of two of Kamui's loyal men as it pressed their bodies against the wall and the very heavy door.

She wasn't surprised when a group of ten to fifteen Yato clambered off, yelling for their mothers.

A few unlucky ones, injured by the desk, either sat or curled in pain by the entrance. Abuto sat in the middle of panicking Yato. Kamui stood by the door.

There was no justice in the seventh division, there was only Kamui.

The group of unluckies began sweating like crazy. A regular Yato barely had the sense of danger, as he was brought up thinking that what they did was more dangerous than anything else. A regular Yato clearly hasn't met Kamui. Now, a sane person would know when faced with a dangerous adversary, say a bear, one should play dead and not provoke the bear into an exciting chase.

Two idiots ran for it and were shot down.

"I thought you all promised not to eavesdrop." Kamui clicked his tongue.

The mass of smelly, sweaty Yato raised their voices in a chorus of blatant lying and perjury as a one or two dropped loads into their pants in fear.

Then, as respect for his partner, Kamui humbly shut the very bloody door before he stuck his weapon up their asses.

Chiaki massaged her temples. She was so sure three of the seventh division's head cooks were included in that foolish bunch. She only saw two, but after living in the Harusame, she could easily recognize whom a scream of terror belonged to.

Near his desk was an ugly bronze bust of the late Hosen. She clutched Hosen's bronze head and spun it to her right. It caused a chain reaction and a small cabinet inched to the side, revealing a secret tunnel to the kitchen.

She still needed to visit the sick and needy, but she had learned quickly what to prioritize first. Kamui was ten times annoying when hungry and he tended to multiply the population of the sick and needy.

'_Back to work'._ She thought with a smile on her face. There were many things she wanted to say and many things that were happening. She knew Umibozu was around. She knew that yesterday, another girl with the same hair color as her was found dead in the engines. She knew when she saw Takasugi smile that he was going to burn everything in his path. She could only hope that Kamui doesn't get burned along with it.

A part of being someone who can't do anything was the ability to sense everything. Things were clicking into place. The murder of those women, Umibozu's mission and the unfinished business at planet Nexus, it all made sense to her.

But for now, she was content. The day was beautiful and she had something to look forward to.


	22. Chapter 22

AUTHOR'S NOTE: After a trillion years of dying in school. Yes, I am continuing this!

I also improved in English!

This is only a trial chapter. I made this to buff my writing skills and decided to post it anyway. It has some relevance to the plot, some character development for Kamui and some impending doom stuff.

Expect me to finish this all within this month or something like that.

I do not own Gintama.

Recap of characters if you don't want to reread anything:

_KAMUI-_ A slave driver, the protagonist of this story, he likes to drive people insane, has parent problems and is of legal age.

_CHIAKI_\- A human medic working under Kamui, the heroine of this story, she likes coffee and she likes helping people.

_ABUTO_\- A man who needs a vacation, a broken man, he is a secret columnist writer of the Harusame Daily, broke.

_KAGERI_\- Your regular Yato, younger than Abuto, older than our heroes, broke.

_UNGYO_\- Deceased and therefore unimportant, has bad hair, probably drank too much tomato juice.

_TAKASUGI_\- Likes to destroy, cyclops, vegan when everyone's looking, treats the entire 7th division to Yakult from time to time.

_PIP_\- A small boi from a distant planet who likes to write to Chiaki, he's an idiot, secretly idolizes Abuto.

Previously on the story: Kamui and Chiaki just got over from a fight. There are killings of women in the Harusame and Umibozu is incognito at the base.

The plot will move faster in the next chapter and I am thankful for all of you. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Kamui woke up in the sound of irritable scratching.

"Chiaki," he muttered sleepily.

She was writing at the other side of the room. "Was I too loud for you? Go back to sleep," she told him.

He sat up, rubbed his eyes and squinted at her. "What are you doing?" His stomach felt empty, he needed to eat. "Are you doing my paperwork?" He already did most of his paperwork. Abuto was entrusted with the remaining taxes. Chiaki wasn't supposed to do anything. Not the day before and not in the present time, which was six in the morning. Nobody should experience taxes at six in the morning. "I'm writing letters," she grinned and lifted a piece of paper with shoddy handwriting.

"Why so early?" Kamui decided to get up. He was going to scare the shit out of his subordinates, especially Abuto.

He went near her table and picked up a photograph of a familiar blonde woman holding hands with an obese purple blob of a prince. Even the Admiral of the Harusame couldn't keep his giggles on bay.

"Stop that, they're nice people you know! And princess Yukiko has finally made up her mind. She's finally taking up royalty duties or something like that," She swiped the photo from Kamui's hand.

Kamui snatched the photo back.

"Her husband looks like a joke," he grinned. "Even Aiko doesn't wear that much lipstick."

"Prince Hata works in TV called Universal Animal Planets. And I'm sure that's not lipstick, it seems like natural pigmentation."

Kamui grinned even more. He curiously went through her pile of letters and was able to pick another photograph. It was a smiley boy who was obviously well endowed… with freckles. Behind the picture had chicken scratch handwriting that said: 'It is my thinking that I am becoming a man when I looked intae ma crotch and seen hairs growing by theirselves'

"That's Pip, from the Nexus thing. He's… He's ten I think," she scratched her head, not quite remembering.

"I tried to hire him as your assistant, but he wanted to stay behind."

She frowned. "You wanted to hire a tiny kid in the pirating industry." She wanted him to come too. There was little hope on the damp country where he chose to stay.

"I was three years younger than him when I wanted to be a pirate," he replied, and then his tummy grumbled.

"I don't know if Aiko has gotten back yet," she doubted that he was present. He would have annoyed everyone out of their wits if he was in the base. "No one's guarding the kitchens."

Kamui's mood went to better heights. "Want me to get you something?" he asked. Which was a surprise, she expected him to selfishly fly off and ruin the kitchen the second she mentioned it. She waited for a few seconds to tick by until his it was evident that he felt impatient. The kind of selfish attitude she was used to. She was glad for his misbehavior, because it meant that he was all right. It meant that the elders hadn't tried to destroy anything precious to him. It meant that Umibozu hid his presence well the past week.

"No," she grinned. "But please wear something before you leave."

* * *

Chiaki didn't know where she was. It was midafternoon when Captain Jiji of the tenth division invited her in another chess game. She went to his office along with Kageri and found a map of the Harusame with a giant red X in the higher tiers.

"Do you know where this is?" She gave the map to him.

Kageri observed it and nodded. "It's where most of us go out and have fun," he pointed at a square representing a room near the red X. "This is where I met my wife," Kageri chimed in, with a manically happy look on his face. "And here," he pointed at a rectangle. "Here is where Abuto-san cuts his hair."

Chiaki never really thought of anything about Abuto's hair. But after seeing him preening in the dirty bathroom mirrors for the eight time, she had begun to hate it. The rest of the crew pitied him when they see him wear an expression of hopefulness while he styled it with cheap wax or saliva. The girls liked him better when he used saliva, for the wax was indeed cheap. It often melted with his body heat, attracting cockroaches for a quick meal.

She blinked at Kageri knowingly.

"None of the boys have the heart to tell him the truth. It keeps us awake at night," he said with genuine distress. "I can lead you to the tenth division guy, although I don't know why you keep on hanging with him. He gives me the creeps."

The red X on the map was located in a very active part of the ship. There were illegal shops selling (stolen) wares on the floor. There were plenty of friendly young ladies who couldn't afford many clothes. And while Kageri was happy with the attention, she couldn't ignore that thousands of pirates of many species were very close to her and nearly all of them had armpits.

"How come I never knew this place existed?" She complained. It was always quieter in the lower floors.

Kageri moved fluidly in the crowd while people kept on trying to sell her unpleasant products.

"Not a good place for women," he stopped walking and immediately steered her away from a crowded stall that sold a certain novel.

"But you said you met your wife here," she reasoned.

"I met her there," he nodded at a part of a wall painted with deep red. There were signs she couldn't read. Chiaki only understood what he meant when she saw more ladies wearing exotic clothing. "Oh."

"She cooks really well," he said. She knew that. She met his wife every two weeks for her checkup. There were two separate heartbeats in her, and her stomach has swelled nicely. She was going to give birth soon. The nice lady gave her a warm meal as a thank you every time.

He shoved her lightly to a corner. "That's the place right there," she checked the map and nodded.

The two entered a tunnel and emerged on the other side of the busy marketplace. It was a larger room with tables and chairs. Captain Jiji sat on a table with a chess board in the middle. He was reading a book.

"Ah, girl, I'm glad you found time for our last game," he smiled pleasantly. Chiaki heard Kageri snort behind her. Everyone was afraid of the tenth division captain, Chiaki wasn't an exception. But he was the only one who seemed to know about chess. The rest of the Yato thought it was stupid. Including Kageri who resorted into sulking the entire time.

"I don't get it," he scratched his chin.

"It's because your race hardly finds anything worth interesting, except for barbaric fights," Captain Jiji moved his rook.

Chiaki howled in frustration. She hoped that he wouldn't see through her plans.

Kageri wanted to slap some common sense into the Captain not to mess with the Yato. But he had enough common sense to remember that the last bloke who punched the Captain lost all of his fingers. He scratched another body part in boredom and saw a stack of tarot cards beside the Captain.

"Hey, Captn' can I check these out?" He pointed at stack.

"Yes," he replied without looking. "Check," he grinned at Chiaki.

Chiaki grinned back. "Bet you didn't see this coming!" She retaliated and moved a piece.

Captain Jiji shook his head and took down a vital pawn. Chiaki wanted to punch herself for not seeing that.

"Hmm," Captain Jiji pursed his thin blue lips.

"Darn it!... …. CHECK," Chiaki smirked cockily.

Captain Jiji went ahead and took down her king.

"Still can't beat this poor old man. Oho hohohooho," One of the Captain's many arms hovered over the board and all of the pieces magically fixed themselves. Both Chiaki and Kageri gaped. Chiaki would have felt bad if her opponent was a human in her age. Most of them knew that he was at least a thousand years old… if the rumors were right that is. "Another game!" She said enthusiastically but to her disappointment. He rejected her.

"I'm saying goodbye to my favorite playmate. You've improved these past months. Give yourself a hundred years and maybe you'll have the chance to beat me." He stood up tall, full of robes, arms and secrets. Another of his arms picked the chess board from the table and stuffed it in his cloak.

"Where are you going?" She asked, all of her friends seemed to be leaving her.

"It's not a matter of where I'm going," An insect-like hand patted her head.

Kageri felt uneasy. The cards were still on his hand. "Missy, pick a card," he wanted to distract Chiaki. Her gaze shifted from the old man to her companion. There was an awkward, nervous sort of pause in the air, like the beginning of a rainy season. "Don't touch– " The old man said vaguely but it was unheard. He watched as she picked the card at the top, almost entranced.

It had the rustic painting of a skeleton holding a scythe. "Death, how typical," her eyes narrowed.

She looked at Kageri. "Three cards right?"

He nodded blankly.

She picked another one, "It's death."

"Did you put back the first card?" Kageri said.

"No. I don't think death means dead in all circumstances though. I think I should pick another one," she said resolutely.

"It's death again," Chiaki frowned. "Wow, what a coincidence, is this a pack for magic tricks?" She tried to sound composed but even she could detect the faint panic in her voice.

Captain Jiji smiled, "Of course it is."

Kageri carefully put all of the cards back, shuffled it and fanned it in front of himself like a pro. There was only one death. He quickly gave it back to the Captain.

"I wish we could have parted in… better circumstances," the old man gave Kageri a dirty look and swept away.

Chiaki began feeling cold. She allowed the silence to eat away at the oxygen in the room for a while before she asked if he knew anyone that could play good chess. He replied that he didn't even know what chess was thirty minutes ago. "Ah, one can only hope." She still felt unsettled. The day began good enough, she could only hope that things wouldn't go downhill.

Kageri's phone rang with the distorted song of Silent Night. It went as_, Silent MURDER, holy MURDER, all is DEAD all has RABIES_

"'ello, honey what's–" His mouth hung open and Chiaki could hear the faint noises of panic and hysteria in the other line. Kageri's expression quickly deepened into pain. She stood up so quickly that her chair toppled to the side.

Her phone vibrated as well.

"Kamui," she answered.

"Go to the clinic _now_."

"What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"It's Kageri's wife!" That was Abuto's voice. His next words proved her assumptions.

"Boil some water! I'll be there as fast as I can," She pulled Kageri from his trance-like state. She would have to be alone here. It was a weekend and she knew no doctor from the other divisions would come to her aid. They worked in the Harusame for money. Nobody cared, but she did.

Kageri was shaking when she pulled him to run. It wasn't difficult to push pass crowds if you were being dragged by a Yato. She yelled orders at Abuto and Kamui via phone who were clueless about childbirth. Abuto was panicking. Kageri's wife must have gone to them when the labor pains were too much for her to handle. It was always sensible rely on authority. Most of the time… People overtook them in their frantic run for aid. She almost tripped, but his arm wrenched to her sleeve and hauled her forward. He did not slow his pace.

Outside the clinic was Fridgeotto. He was sweating like a pig. "Missy. They're all inside," he opened the door. Ito, Kageri's wife, was lying on a bed while Abuto held her hand with confusion on his features. "It's gonna be okay," the vice-captain said awkwardly.

"Do ya even know what yer doin?" Ito yelled at him.

Abuto's knees were shaking. It was different to be nervous in battle and nervous in delicate situations such as these. Kageri stood pale by the doorway.

"What have you done to help with the pain?" The nurse unfurled a thick, white blanket and covered the wife. She eyed the killer grip Ito had on Abuto's hand. It was beginning to turn purple. Abuto looked down, ashamed. "Uhhh, I did say a little prayer," he shrugged.

From the background, Kamui found a pile of towels and set it near the wife.

"Wow, I'm sure that helped," she frowned. She wiped the dampness from Ito's eyes and taught her how to breathe properly. It seemed to improve the mother's temper. In a few minutes, she could see her pain melt away a little. Chiaki told her to be brave. Because she needed it, they both needed it. Ito nodded and slowly let go of Abuto's numb arm. She pushed him to the doorway and ordered him to guard it. Chiaki then checked her vitals, put her in a comfortable position and readied her wits. She attended a good enough number of childbirths while studying and on duty. But this was different. Human and Yato anatomy were thankfully similar to uncomfortable levels.

A contraction washed over the mother and she yelled. Ito clawed out violently.

"Kageri, please get in here!" Chiaki urged him over. He was pale as a sheet.

He walked over to his wife and she almost strangled him.

"Sweetie, I think I should go over to Abuto," Kamui remarked, "It's getting too crowded."

Chiaki pushed the mother's legs back. It was strange for him to call her another name aside from her own. It was obvious that he was nervous as well, which was a sharp change. He usually didn't give a rat's ass.

"Actually," Chiaki bent under the sheet, between the mother's legs, "I need you to be here for support."

Kamui saw her shuffling. There was a pause before she pulled away from under the blankets. There was a pool of dark blood that stained her sheets.

"I'm not going to catch babies am I?" He crossed his arms.

"Hopefully you won't. But I haven't done this in over two years, I'm a little rusty."

The mother yelled profanity.

"But I know exactly what I'm doing!" Chiaki said quickly. She made further preparations from memory; it was unfortunate that there were so many improvisations. The clinic wasn't a place for childbirth but she learned in the field that sometimes, what worked was not waiting for the best but to grab what's good enough.

"Ito-san, your cervix if fully dilated. I'm about to give you the okay to push in a few seconds," Chiaki watched the mother's face redden with pain. "Kageri-san, give her something to bite on," he undid the long vivid green sash from his waist, wrapped it around his fist and placed it gently between his wife's teeth. He was shaking.

Kamui scoffed.

Chiaki shot a glare at him and told him to watch out for his subordinate. He seemed to be on the edge of fainting.

Ito emitted a muffled groan. There were beads of tears in her eyes. Then something became obvious for Chiaki. Kageri didn't marry a Yato. A female Yato would have been pissed at the pain, she wouldn't have been crying. She wouldn't have been scared. Ito might have been an earthling, or of another species. A woman that was sold to the Harusame to work in the bedroom, someone a Yato fell in love with. Kageri would have paid a large sum for her freedom.

"Don't be scared, fear is a soft mess. _Anger_ is a knife's edge. How are you going to deliver your baby if you don't push yourself? Stop crying, why aren't you pissed that the world makes you suffer to get a glimpse of relief? Push!"

* * *

Abuto cringed when he heard another muffled groan. There were weird… sounds coming out of the clinic. It was a total mystery to him why Kamui remained to stay inside. Beside him, Fridgeotto looked a little green for his own good.

_'__What a pussy,'_ Abuto grinned. Fridgeotto wanted to throw up.

"What do you think we should do?" Fridgeotto looked sullenly at Abuto.

"She said guard the door. I reckon attack everything that moves."

"Sounds logical."

* * *

The labor went for an excruciating hour before Chiaki held their dead baby in her arms. She learned by working that you couldn't survive if you were an entirely truthful person, but Ito didn't need to know yet. The woman on the bed was barely conscious. Birthing was very painful and she deserved a moment's rest before Chiaki could bring herself to tell. The child was stillborn, something she didn't expect. The mother had been so well… Her eyes met Kamui, then, achingly slowly, she met eyes with the father and shook her head.

There was absolutely nothing for him to say in response to that. They watched him go to in a stunned-stupid silence as he looked down at his tired wife, she could barely register anything. He hung his hands in the air. "Can I hold it at least?" He asked politely. He felt like his life was peeling away from him, but everything else could wait.

The previous events rushed back into her mind and she was surprised that his face had almost no trace of hurt, his arms too, where Ito had clawed at him. It must be so nice to heal so quickly, but the look on his face said otherwise.

"It's a he," Kamui said as he watched Chiaki wrap the dead child in linen before she gave it to him.

"I need you to stay put," she said, "the placenta hasn't been out yet."

They both watched how the death of Kageri's child broke him. He clutched the baby into his chest, ignoring how his wife reached to his uniform.

All humans are selfish. Chiaki remembered as the only thoughts running through her is that she didn't want to see Kamui go through the same ordeal. It felt terrifying.

"Honey, how is he?" Ito asked, entirely innocent.

"He's–" Kageri's throat was dry. He stroked his wife's cheek. "He is–"

"_Kageri_," Kamui called out. It seemed to snap the older man into reality.

"It's not over yet," he said to his wife, "I'll keep him safe… You still need the placenta removed." His large hand cupped his wife's face. Ito nodded slowly, she had the smile of a mother. It stung. It really did.

"Kamui, you're free to leave if you want," Chiaki said to him. There was no use after all, she asked for his presence because it comforted her. But now, she felt like a failure, Ito would too. Now that it was over, he didn't need to see the darker bits of her job. She wasn't going to pull him to misery too.

The Admiral shook his head. "I'm staying until it's over," He said.

Ito was yelling. "You said you knew what you're doing… You told me that everything was going to be fine! You told me these past weeks that everything was okay! You lied to me! _You lied to me!_ Oh… oh I've heard what they say. People have died in your watch, you incompetent wretch! They died, just like my son. Because of you! Everybody was crying and sobbing and what did you do? You still walked around giving orders to people, acting all high and mighty! It's your fault! You shouldn't be here–"

Chiaki shut the words out_. I have done nothing wrong._ She thought. _I did my best, but I might have been stupid too. Remember that Ito just lost her first son; remember that this was supposed to be her chance of happiness. Ito cooked well, she smiled a lot. _People tend to blame others when there was no one to blame. It wasn't her fault neither it was Chiaki's.

She knew she had to leave when Ito threw a glass at her direction.

"I'll give you both some time," she said and walked out, Ito was still yelling, sobbing. There was an entire crowd of women outside the clinic who seemed hypnotized by her wails. There was nothing more she could do, after it was done. Ito had to know. She guessed that the mother knew it from the beginning, the realization that it was true was what broke her.

Kamui made tea then he sat with her until the pot went ice cold. The office had always been a comforting nest of paperwork, broken umbrellas and annoying blinking lights. There was always the sound of Kamui's light snoring, Abuto's atrocious singing, paperwork being prepared and the feel of an axe's sharp edge. All she could hear was the silent ticking of their damaged clock and the slow tapping of Kamui's fingers against the floor. He wasn't used to this, and yet he sat impatiently with her, with a hand on her knee to calm her down.

"You don't need to stay," she said, muffled.

"I have nothing better to do anyway. There's less work for us today."

She took the cold tea and drank everything.

"You're not going to throw their child into space… are you?"

"No. Kageri has the right of choice."

Chiaki didn't say anything for another five minutes. "Is his wife of your race?" Kamui leaned back against the wall, sliding an arm awkwardly around her shoulders. He was warm and comfortable with a touch of casual possession. It was better than being alone. "No. The girl was from Yoshiwara. He asked for six months of his salary to send her to the Harusame."

"He couldn't have bought her immediately?"

"No. He visited her every night before he saved enough money to buy her permanently."

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Chiaki said. She felt Kamui's bangs brush her face.

"I saw my mother giving birth to my sister. It was nothing."

Kamui tightened his grip on her hands when she asked if she'd done well enough.

"I thought it was impossible for a human to have kids with your race," she said.

"Do you want to have children?" He raised a curious eyebrow.

"No. Not now," she slowly let go of his hand and stood up. "There's a ledger we keep in the med office. I need to put down some notes about what happened."

"Right now?" Kamui followed. No one would question if she didn't record the event. Hardly anyone did. People passed away without records in a pirate base and nobody batted an eye. Chiaki felt like it would be a bigger sin if she pretended that nothing happened than acknowledging it.

She nodded.

"Alright, Abuto is outside, bring him along. I'm going back to the clinic," he said quietly. "I have some responsibilities as a superior," Hosen was the past head of the seventh division. He never dirtied his hands with the worries of his subordinates, but if it was going to make his companions happy. Kamui was willing to at least give it a try.

Chiaki blinked in surprise when he simply fixed his clothes and went to the door. He wouldn't have done something so uncharacteristic three months ago would he? It was very strange. It made something loosen in her chest and she finally said: "Okay, take care, I love you." Just like how her mom used to say to her dad. Quite similar to the way Aiko's pocketbooks roll, how dramas unfold. Reactions were in slowed time as Kamui stood frozen on his steps.

She began sweating profusely.

"Really? You do?" He turned to her, his face unreadable.

Chiaki exhaled, "yes, I mean it."

Kamui's answer was slow. Very carefully he said, "I'm very relieved."

That was enough for her.

* * *

The clinic never had the smell of a sickroom, until the present. He pushed the door open and expected Kageri and the woman to be there, but what welcomed him was darkness and little particles of dust that floated down like sifted snow. Kamui's hand flipped the light switch open twice and frowned when it wouldn't work. The lightbulb must have been damaged by something.

There was a sound of swishing in the air and a silent screech that asked for help.

The baby had been wrapped in more blankets. Its blue watery face was the only part exposed. It barely looked like a baby in his opinion. It was too small and oddly colored, as if suffocated. Glass crunched at the floor with his every step as Kamui lifted his head to acknowledge the large swinging figure in the middle of the room.

There was no rope in the clinic so Ito had used her husband's long sash instead. She hung by a large beam, swaying, still struggling, wheezing with her claws desperately trying to loosen the tightening cloth around her neck. Ito had hung herself and she was still very alive.

If Chiaki was there… if she was there… He knew Chiaki had an assortment of weapons hidden in her body. There was a knife from Abuto, an umbrella from himself, a scalpel, a Glock. She would have immediately cut the woman down and saved her life. But Kamui was not Chiaki. He watched Ito balance on toppled chair below her with her toes. That's what was keeping her alive.

"Do you want to live?" He asked.

The woman would have nodded if she could. She had to talk, but it hurt so much. She was bleeding too, thick blood dribbled down her legs. It was a mistake, she wasn't thinking. Now that life was inching away from her, it became glaringly obvious that she needed to be alive, if not for herself then for her husband. Kageri wouldn't be able to take it. He wouldn't forgive himself.

"H-hh-e-lp. H-elp."

There was movement in the air. A flash of iron and he swiped the tiny chair off her feet, the one that kept her alive. Ito dropped in her full weight. She not only swung, but twisted as well and she died.

Kamui didn't pity her when he left her. Kageri would find out in time. He guessed the fool fetched water for his wife. The only reason he wasn't there. Yes, they didn't deserve it. Yes, he could have done something. But what then? Ito would have taken a good fighter away from him to be a father and raise children in some damp planet in poverty. Kamui was sure that Abuto would have left the girl to die. But the story would be different if Abuto was there to witness him.

_'__Are you sure you have the right to take Kageri's happiness on a whim?' 'What if it was Chiaki on that noose, would you have done the same?' 'Your bad habits are resurfacing again.'_

Chiaki was strong. She would never resort to killing herself. He trusted her. And while Kageri's happiness seemed like it could be controlled by him, it wasn't. The woman was his happiness and she decided to get rid of herself. Kamui believed in following through decisions completely and accurately.

* * *

Days later:

Kamui read the autopsy report. It was freezing where he stood, even for him. It was an average sized room with two heavy exit doors. One to space, the other back into the Harusame base, the airproof door leading inside was open while the one to space was shut. There was a male medic beside him who was obviously uncomfortable with his presence and the female corpse lying on the slab.

_Body found on a terminal's air vent  
Multiple stab wounds on chest and stomach  
Curved blade of six inches in length  
Extensive damage to skull and internal organs_

The corpse was more of a girl than a woman. She was a personal servant of the previous Admiral. More than that, her hair was in a familiar shade of pink. Kamui would never mistake her for Chiaki, their height and body type were different, much more their race.

"There are no signs of sexual abuse sir," the medic said. Kamui released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Er… she seems to have recently died sir, rigor mortis is just setting in," the man pinched the girl's pale arm.

"She's been dead for more than twenty four hours," Kamui mused, "that's not early rigor, it's wearing off." He wouldn't blame the medic; he didn't have training beyond his qualifications. Kamui literally picked him up thirty minutes before an appointment for a half assed autopsy. There were no specialized apparatus for dealing with wrongful deaths. How could there be when there were no wrongful deaths?

"You said earlier that your group disposes of found bodies, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"How many of these women have you found?"

"More than ten sir."

"All with similar appearances."

"Indeed, sir."

"What do you make of it?" Kamui asked.

The medic reluctantly looked down on his boots, "couldn't have been a sexual fiend sir, might have been someone who just goes round killing women for fun." He wasn't daft, he knew about the admiral and the girl he kept beside him, the one with the same hair and eyes as the dead women. Even though he wanted to say something relating to Chiaki, he was too afraid of what the admiral might do to him if he spoke a wrong word or two. It didn't help that he was sweating a lot. "We always find bodies in the terminal or in the engines or where the machines are kept. We also find stolen things, food and trash and excrement in the larger drainages. Shoukaku-sama sent a bunch of his men to look for the thief but his people got all killed."

"How were they killed?" Kamui began walking off, the young man followed quickly.

"I didn't see for myself sir, but the others said their bones and heads were crushed by brute force, sir," he managed.

Kamui faced the surveillance cameras and nodded. The entrance to the room with the corpse shut. There was a brief blinking of red lights, an obnoxious sound and to the amazement of his new companion. The body along with a few apparatus left in the room flew in space. "There goes my kit," he said when he saw his white case with a red plus sign painted on it, float in zero gravity.

"You're dismissed," the Admiral twisted to his left, giving the medic a braid slap in the eye balls.

"Thank you sir," he tried his best to bow politely, despite his painfully reddening eyes.

"Oh, one more thing," Kamui said, "you know Chiaki, right?"

The medic swallowed nervously, "Yes sir, she checks us sometimes, sir."

"If she finds out about this, I'll kill you," Kamui grinned.

"My mouth is sealed sir!" The boy saluted with tears in his eyes.

There were several things Kamui was sure of and several other things that confused him. Whoever was pursuing the women had to be a Yato. They had a distinct fighting style that produced similar marks in bodies. If someone looks like he has been run over by a large heavy truck, he could also have been attacked by a Yato. If someone looks like his neck was bitten off by a bear, he could also have been attacked by a Yato

He knew that nobody in his division would lay a hand on Chiaki herself. Unless they wanted dead that is. Nobody even looked at her in the wrong way anymore. Although she wouldn't be pleased if she found out, nobody wanted to visit her for medical help in fear of divine retribution from Kamui.

Kamui tried to think if the killer was even targeting her in the first place. It was most likely. If not, she might be targeted anyway because of her hair. Which Yato wanted her dead? Kageri? No. These killings began before his wife knew she was pregnant. The others he surround himself didn't make sense as potential killers. They would have done so already.

_Umibozu? _His father hated him right? Umibozu _hated_ him right? _Was it him? Umibozu killed his mom. Is he going to kill Chiaki too?_

"Kamui," Chiaki waved a hand near the red head's face. Kamui blinked, "_Kamui._"

"Oh, it's you," he said with a curl on his mouth that she identified as a genuine smile.

"Yes and you look crazier than usual. Are you okay?" She checked his temperature with the back of her hand against his forehead.

"Don't worry. Idiots don't get sick," Abuto said from behind her. He was picking lint of his clothes.

"Superstition like that is what kills your race," she pursed her lips then leaned near Kamui. "Have you been neglecting your vegetables?" In which the man takes the opportunity to kiss her. Abuto made a bunch of disgusted hacking noises at the background.

Chiaki went into a deeper shade of red than what she's accustomed to and meticulously coughed in her fist when he pulled away –pretending nothing happened.

Kamui took a closer look at her and frowned, "you look like crap, have you been sleeping well?"

"Don't act like you're not keeping me awake at night."

Abuto vomited completely in the background.

"I'm serious," Kamui's hand ruffled her hair. _Oh,_ he thought. He was already near his office, he didn't notice that.

Chiaki scratched the back of her head. "Well, two people just died you know. I can't pretend it didn't happen. There are people I need to take care off too," she said honestly. It wasn't like Kamui intended not to give a crap about his subordinates. It was his nature.

"Do you have free time this afternoon?" She asked. "Aiko…-chan is going back. He sent Abuto-san a bunch of ridiculous messages emphasizing the importance of our presence upon his arrival."

Kamui pondered for a while. "Chances are slim," he said. Takasugi wanted to meet up that afternoon, something about world domination, destruction, fighting rings, blood and the rampant sewage problem in their base. The blonde girl Chiaki was friends with went back to Earth, so there was no reason for Kamui to drag her to their meeting. If he could just cancel it…

"I'll text Abuto when I'm free," he pinched her face as an attempt to show fondness and she cried in absolute agony because that pain was at least equal to half an age in hell. Kamui heard something like a whine that sounded like 'hairy assed idiot' when he left but dismissed it as the sad and lonely but also reassuring creaks of Abuto's rusting metal arm.

* * *

Well! That's it! Watch out for updates. :)


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